The accuracy of FDG-PET/CT in early-stage cervical and vaginal cancers

Objective: [(18)F]fluoro-deoxy-glucose positron-emission tomography combined with integrated computed tomography (FDG-PET/CT) is commonly used for advanced stage cervical cancer but its efficiency is discussed in early stage. The aim of this study was to evaluate false negative rate of FDG-PET/CT in early-stage cervical and vaginal cancer.

Methods: Patients treated between 2005 and 2008 for stage IB1 cervical cancer and stage I vaginal cancer who underwent a FDG-PET/CT followed by a pelvic lymphadenectomy were studied.

Results: Eighteen patients were included with bilateral pelvic lymphadenectomy (16 cervical cancer, two vaginal cancer). The median age of patients was 41 years. Radical hysterectomy was performed for 16 patients, by a laparoscopic approach in 15 cases and by a laparotomic approach in one case. One patient had a simple hysterectomy and one had exclusive radiotherapy. No patient had pelvic or para-aortic fixation on FDG-PET/CT. Three patients have proven pelvic involvement and one had para-aortic metastases. The false-negative rate and negative predictive value of FDG-PET/CT were 17% and 83% respectively.

Conclusions: The accuracy of FDG-PET/CT imaging in predicting the pelvic nodal status is very low in patients with early-stage cervical and vaginal cancer and is not able to replace surgical exploration.