Course Description
Leading causes of morbidity and mortality around the world, gastrointestinal (GI) cancers are a growing economic and health burden on society. These malignancies, including cancers of the stomach, esophagus, pancreas, liver, colon, and rectum, as well as GI stromal and gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrinal tumors, account for more than one-quarter of all newly diagnosed cases and one-third of all deaths annually. Functional nuclear imaging, including positron emission tomography (PET) and related hybrid modes, in particularparticularly PET/computed tomography (CT), have made a notable contribution to the visualization of many cancer types. Using the most common radiopharmaceutical 2-[¹⁸F] fluoro-2deoxy-D-glucose (FDG), PET/CT, which permits thecan capture of both metabolic and anatomic imaging data with a single device in a single imaging session, has offered improved diagnostic accuracy while enhancing treatment planning and response assessment, disease staging and prognosis, and overall patient management. The advent of new radiotracers and novel approaches, including dual-tracer PET/CT, dynamic blood flow and dual-phase PET imaging, has offered the possibility of visualizing other metabolic processes than glucose metabolism, many of which offer increased diagnostic accuracy. They have been the focus of much current research. However, the absence of standardized response-assessment criteria for the use of PET/CT in patients with GI cancers remains a critical gap hindering the more widespread use of nuclear imaging in many community clinical settings.

This course will examine the role of nuclear imaging in GI cancers; it will contain a thorough discussion of a number of the central malignancies, including gastric, pancreatic, esophageal, and CRCs, hepatocellular carcinoma, and GI stromal and neuroendocrinal tumors. Here, the emphasis will be on PET and PET/hybrid techniques, as well as, when apposite, scintigraphy, and will explore imaging's contribution to the diagnosis, staging, the assessment of treatment response, and monitoring of disease recurrence. In all cases, the place of established and investigational radionuclides in the imaging armamentarium will be described as well. Finally, a number of patient case studies will conclude this course, offering practical and real-world illustrations of how nuclear imaging can contribute to the clinical management of patients presenting with symptoms suggestive of underlying GI cancer.

Learning Objectives
After completing this course, the participant should be able to:

• EXPLAIN the epidemiological features of the primary GI cancers.
• APPRAISE the most important radiopharmaceuticals used in GI nuclear imaging, including their advantages and disadvantages.
• EVALUATE the most effective imaging modalities for the primary GI malignancies.
• ASSESS the most appropriate techniques used in the diagnosis, disease staging, the assessment of treatment response, and the monitoring of disease recurrence.
• ANALYZE new and experimental nuclear -imaging methodologies and their applicability in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma.

 

 

Categories: Nuclear Medicine, Radiation Therapy/Dosimetry, CT

In order to receive CE credit, you must first complete the activity content. When completed, go to the "Take CE Test!" link to access the post-test.

Submit the completed answers to determine if you have passed the post-test assessment. You must answer 18 out of 24 questions correctly to receive the CE credit. You will have no more than 3 attempts to successfully complete the post-test.

Participants successfully completing the activity content and passing the post-test will receive 3.0 ARRT Category A credits.

Approved by the American Society of Radiologic Technologists for ARRT Category A credit.

Approved by the state of Florida for ARRT Category A credit.

Texas direct credit.

This activity may be available in multiple formats or from different sponsors. ARRT does not allow CE activities such as Internet courses, home study programs, or directed readings to be repeated for CE credit in the same biennium.    

Category	Content Area	Credits
Computed Tomography	Procedures	0.75
Magnetic Resonance	Procedures	0.75
Nuclear Medicine	Procedures	3
PTH	Procedures	0.75
Radiation Therapy	Patient Care	1.5
Radiation Therapy	Procedures	0.75
Radiography	Procedures	0.75
Radiologist Assistant	Procedures	2.25
Sonography	Procedures	0.75

Category	Subcategory	Credits
Computed Tomography	Abdomen and Pelvis	0.75
Magnetic Resonance	Body	0.75
Nuclear Medicine	Endocrine and Oncology Procedures	1
Nuclear Medicine	Gastrointestinal and Genitourinary Procedures	2
PTH	Treatment Sites	0.75
Radiation Therapy	Patient and Medical Record Management	1.5
Radiation Therapy	Treatment Sites and Tumors	0.75
Radiography	Thorax and Abdomen Procedures	0.75
Radiologist Assistant	Abdominal Section	2.25
Sonography	Abdomen	0.75

Category	Credits
Digital	0
Fluoroscopy	0
Mammography	0