There is no longer any doubt that this relatively new imaging, which relies on the metabolic activity of the abnormality being imaged – thus high metabolic activity in cancer and low in most benign disease, forms a superior form of imaging in the staging and follow-up of lung cancer patients.
Indeed, recent studies have shown that PET scanning should be performed before operation in all patients; in some of these the extra sensitivity of PET in demonstrating early metastratic disease will obviate an unnecessary operation (i.e. there is no indication for a major lung operation when metastasis has been demonstrated). Furthermore, other studies have shown that early response on PET scanning, following initiation of chemo-radiotherapy for lung cancer, correlates with longer survival.
