Objective:

To investigate the application value of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (

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F-FDG) PET/CT in detecting postoperative recurrence and metastasis of esophageal carcinoma.

Methods:

From December 2009 to December 2014

a total of 300 patients with curative resection of the esophageal carcinoma underwent PET/CT examination in our hospital. Of these patients

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6 cases diagnosed with recurrence or metastasis were enrolled in the study. Results: Among the 166 cases

local recurrence was foundin 45 patients

80% with anastomotic recurrence in situ. The maximal standardized uptake value (SUVmax) was not correlated with lesion thickness. Among 149 metastatic cases

72.5% had simple lymph node metastasis

4.7% had simple hematogenous metastasis

and 22.8% had lymph node metastasis and hematogenous metastasis.

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F-FDG PET/CT detected 57 cases with metastatic lymph node within 1.0 cm. There was no significance in SUVmax between metastatic lymph node 1.0 cm group and metastatic lymph node 1.0 cm group. SUVmax was not correlated with lymph node diameter.

Conclusion:

The postoperative recurrence of esophageal carcinoma is usually localized at anastomotic site

and lymph node metastasis is common.

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F-FDG PET/CT is one optional method for diagnosis of recurrence and metastasis after curative resection of esophageal carcinoma. It plays an outstanding role in detecting lymph node (1.0 cm) metastasis

uncommon lymph node metastasis and distant hematogenous metastasis.