Clinical Research Papers:
Report on the development and application of PET/CT in mainland China
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Abstract
Yumei Chen1,2,*, Ruohua Chen1,2,*, Xiang Zhou1,2, Jianjun Liu1 and Gang Huang1,2,3
1 Department of Nuclear Medicine, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
2 Department of Cancer Metabolism, Institute of Health Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences and Shanghai Jiao Tong University School Medicine, Shanghai, China
3 Shanghai University of Medicine & Health Sciences, Shanghai, China
* These authors have contributed equally to this work
Correspondence to:
Gang Huang, email:
Jianjun Liu, email:
Keywords: 18F-FDG, general investigation, PET, PET/CT
Abbreviations: PET/CT: positron emission tomography/computed tomography; SCI: the Science Citation Index
Received: November 08, 2016 Accepted: March 01, 2017 Published: March 16, 2017
Abstract
Purpose: To examine the development and application of systems combining positron emission and x-ray-computed tomography systems (PET/CTs) in mainland China.
Methods: Using a questionnaire, we surveyed Chinese medical institutions on a variety topics relating to their PET/CT systems and its use. The respondents had PET/CTs installed and in clinical use before 31 December 2015. We examined the clinical scenarios to which Chinese PET/CTs were applied by reviewing the related Chinese and international literature from the start of 1995 to the end of 2013; these papers were found by searching the Wanfang and PubMed databases, respectively. The data were then classified and analyzed statistically.
Results: At the end of 2015, there were 240 PET/CTs and 101 medical cyclotrons in mainland China. The total number of PET studies performed in 2015 was 469,364. The main clinical applications of PET were found to be diagnostic fludeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) imaging and oncological imaging. A minority of PET/CT studies were performed using 11C-choline and other imaging agents. The number of papers relating to clinical use of PET/CT in mainland China increased each year over the period of study, in both the Chinese and international literature. Despite this progress, important problems were also apparent, including unbalanced regional development and the limited quality of the research.
Conclusions: This study provides detailed information for understanding the development PET/CT technology in mainland China, along with its geographical distribution and clinical application. It may thus prove a useful reference for all those involved in planning the future of PET/CT in China.
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