Is prone position [18F]FDG PET/CT useful in reducing respiratory motion artifacts in evaluating hepatic lesions?

Objectives: The prone position is useful in reducing respiratory motion artifacts in lung nodules on 2-Deoxy-2-[18F]fluoro-D-glucose ([18F]FDG) positron-emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT). However, whether prone position PET/CT (pPET/CT) is useful in evaluating hepatic lesions is unknown. Methods: : Thirty-five hepatic lesions (size, 13.0 ± 5.8 mm) from 20 consecutive patients (age, 67.0 ± 9.7 years) were evaluated. The maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) and metabolic tumor volume (MTV) of both pPET/CT and standard supine position PET/CT (sPET/CT) were evaluated. Results: : No significant difference in SUVmax (4.41 ± 2.0 vs. 4.23 ± 1.83; p = 0.240) and MTV (5.83 ± 6.69 vs. 5.95 ± 6.24; p = 0.672) was observed between sPET/CT and pPET/CT. However, SUVmax changes on pPET/CT varied compared with those on sPET/CT (median, −4%; range: −30%–71%). pPET/CT was helpful when the [18F]FDG uptake of the hepatic lesions was located outside the liver on sPET/CT (n = 4, SUVmax change: median 15%; range: 7%–71%) and more severe blurring on sPET/CT (n = 6, SUVmax change: median 11%; range: −3%–32%). Conclusions: : The SUVmax of hepatic lesions varies on pPET/CT compared with that on sPET/CT, and pPET/CT may be helpful in individual cases.