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How few cancer cells can be detected by positron emission tomography? A frequent question addressed by an in vitro study

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Abstract

Purpose

Positron emission tomography (PET) has gained widespread use in cancer diagnosis and treatment, but how many malignant cells are required for a tumour to be detected by PET?

Methods

Three human cancer cell lines [glioblastoma and two subtypes of small cell lung cancer (SCLC)] in concentrations from 104 to 107 were seeded on six-well plates or plastic tubes and treated with [18F]fluorodeoxy-glucose (FDG) in vitro. FDG retention was measured in a PET/CT scanner and in a calibrated well counter. The clinical situation was simulated using a cylinder phantom with a background concentration of FDG.

Results

The theoretical detection limit was found to be around 105 malignant cells. In a cylinder phantom the detection limit was increased by a factor of 10. The FDG retention by the glioblastoma cell line was significantly higher than the activity of the SCLC cell line. FDG retention measured by PET and a gamma counter was closely correlated to the number of cells and a linear relationship was found.

Discussion

The detection limit of PET is in the magnitude of 105 to 106 malignant cells. The experimental set-up was robust and well suited as a platform for further investigations of factors influencing the detection limit of PET.

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Acknowledgement

The authors wish to thank technologist Susanne Svalling for her invaluable and competent assistance during this project.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Clinical Physiology, Nuclear Medicine and PET, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark

    Barbara M. Fischer, Jann Mortensen & Liselotte Højgaard

  2. Laboratory of Experimental Oncology, Molecular Pathology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark

    Minna W. B. Olsen, Carsten D. Ley & Paul E. G. Kristjansen

  3. Department of Clinical Physiology, Herlev University Hospital, DK-2730 Herlev, Denmark

    Thomas L. Klausen

Authors
  1. Barbara M. Fischer
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  2. Minna W. B. Olsen
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  3. Carsten D. Ley
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  4. Thomas L. Klausen
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  5. Jann Mortensen
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  6. Liselotte Højgaard
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  7. Paul E. G. Kristjansen
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Barbara M. Fischer.

Additional information

The first two named authors contributed equally to this paper.

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Fischer, B.M., Olsen, M.W.B., Ley, C.D. et al. How few cancer cells can be detected by positron emission tomography? A frequent question addressed by an in vitro study. Eur J Nucl Med Mol Imaging 33, 697–702 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00259-005-0038-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00259-005-0038-6

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