Positron emission tomography’s changing significance in the treatment of esophageal cancer

Incidence of esophageal cancer has been rising, and Positron Emission Tomography (PET) is one tool that has shown utility and promise as a tool for staging, treatment response, and prognosis. PET delivery has evolved over time and is now frequently registered with a CT scan at the time of acquisition. However, resolution and confounders such as post-treatment radiation changes may limit clinical utility. PET has been shown to be helpful in staging, especially in evaluating for distant metastases. PET acquired after chemoradiation may give important prognostic information that can guide additional treatment decisions. Studies have had substantial variability in recommendations for the timing and manner of using PET for this purpose, and additional study is needed.