Utility of PET In the Pre-Operative Assessment of Patients With Hepatic Colorectal Metastases

Utility of Whole-Body 18-Fluorodeoxyglucose Positron Emission Tomography (PET) In the Pre-Operative Assessment of Patients With Hepatic Colorectal Metastases

This study aims to determine whether a test, called the PET scan, may be useful in determining if there are additional locations of cancer not otherwise detectable by other tests.

The PET scan is a nuclear medicine imaging study that measures how much radioactive sugar is used by your tumor. The study will compare pictures of the cancer from the PET scan to other x-ray exams, such as a CT scan, as well as to what your doctors find at the time of surgery. If the study results show that the PET scan gives us a good idea of what is happening to the tumor, then it may be useful in deciding which patients with colorectal metastases to the liver should be operated on and what operation should be performed.

Additionally, by comparing the results of PET scans with the other studies that will be performed as part of your care, we will try to determine which test best tells us which patient is most likely to benefit from surgery.

Inclusion Criteria:

• initial diagnosis of colorectal carcinoma confirmed by the Pathology Department of Memorial Hospital or by diagnostic barium enema if the primary tumor is still in place.
• a candidate for liver resection for metastatic colorectal cancer as defined by members of the Department of Surgery of Memorial Hospital. Patients with metastatic colorectal cancer isolated to the colon, rectum, or liver are eligible. In addition, patients with limited, resectable pulmonary metastases are eligible.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Patients must not be pregnant; females of child bearing age must use an adequate form of contraception.