PET Imaging in Esophageal Cancer

Patient Population

Patients with esophageal cancer.

Intended Guideline Users

To guide the Ontario PET Steering Committee in their decision making concerning indications for the use of PET imaging. This recommendation report may also be useful to inform clinical decision making regarding the appropriate role of PET imaging and to guide priorities for future PET imaging research.

Research Question(s)

1. What benefit to clinical management does positron emission tomography (PET) or positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) contribute to the diagnosis or staging of esophageal cancer?
2. What benefit to clinical management does PET or PET/CT contribute to the assessment of treatment response for esophageal cancer?
3. What benefit to clinical management does PET or PET/CT contribute when recurrence of esophageal cancer is suspected but not proven?
4. What benefit to clinical management does PET or PET/CT contribute to restaging at the time of documented recurrence for esophageal cancer?
5. What is the role of PET when a solitary metastasis is identified at the time of recurrence and the metastectomy is being contemplated?