Article Text
Abstract
Aims To evaluate the prognostic value of positron emission tomography (PET) imaging in patients with choroidal melanoma.
Methods We undertook a retrospective review of 40 consecutive patients with choroidal melanoma who underwent pretreatment whole-body PET, received either brachytherapy using ruthenium-106 plaque, enucleation or gamma knife radiotherapy, and had 1 year of follow-up. Metabolic activity of choroidal melanoma measured as standardised uptake value (SUV) by PET imaging was evaluated with respect to the survival of patients.
Results SUV (p=0.003) and the largest basal diameter of the tumour (p=0.003) were significantly correlated with metastatic death (Cox proportional hazards regression). There was an inverse correlation between tumour metabolic activity and time to metastasis (p=0.049; linear regression).
Conclusion Metabolic activity by PET imaging significantly predicted the survival of patients with choroidal melanoma.
- Neoplasia
- uveal melanoma
- PET/CT
- SUV
- imaging
- neoplasia