C11 Methionine positron emission tomography (PET/CT) studies will be performed as hybrid PET/CT examinations for attenuation correction and lesion localization. A bolus of 10 millicuries of C11 Methionine will be injected intravenously. Approximately 60 minutes following tracer injection, the patient will be positioned on a Siemens Biograph PET/CT scanner. A low milliampere CT of from the mid skull to mid thigh will be acquired first with while the patient is free breathing. PET will be acquired at 3 minutes per bed position using the 3D mode, approximately 6-7 bed positions. C11 Methionine PET/CT imaging will take less than 60 minutes.

diagnostic positron emission tomography imaging after intravenous injection of C11 Methionine

Standardized uptake value (a semiquantitative, unit less measure of radioactivity normalized for injected activity and body weight) will be measured for individual C11 Methionine uptake abnormalities (defined as focally increased uptake higher than background levels in a similar tissue type). All abnormal uptake not in locations common for benign etiologies, such as fracture and degenerative change, will be measured.