%0 Journal Article %A Gregory P. Leisure %A Hubert J. Vesselle %A Peter F. Faulhaber %A James K. O’Donnell %A Lee P. Adler %A Floro Miraldi %T Technical Improvements in Fluorine-18-FDG PET Imaging of the Abdomen and Pelvis %D 1997 %J Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology %P 115-119 %V 25 %N 2 %X PET tumor imaging of the abdomen and pelvis is prone to artifacts due to urinary tract activity. A new technique has been developed to reduce such artifacts and enhance study interpretation. Methods: Thirty minutes after the injection of 18F-FDG, 500 cc 0.45% NaCI were administered intravenously over 30 min and a Foley catheter was placed in the bladder. At the start of imaging (60 min post-injection), furosemide was given (0.3 mg/kg). Prior to imaging the pelvis, the urinary catheter was clamped and saline was introduced retrograde into the bladder until full. Results: This technique has been used successfully in more than 130 patients, resulting in a marked improvement in study quality and tumor detection. Conclusion: Hydration and administration of furosemide, along with placement of a Foley catheter in the bladder, have proven effective in eliminating image artifacts originating from the kidneys, ureters and bladder. Backfilling the bladder also provides a well-defined anatomic landmark for study interpretation. %U https://tech.snmjournals.org/content/jnmt/25/2/115.full.pdf