Improving clinical management of ovarian cancer

The IMAGE trial was the first study in Australia that directly compared CT (Computed Tomography) with PET-CT (Positron Emission Tomography) scanning to determine the most effective medical imaging tool for patients with ovarian cancer outside the abdomen.

Prior to surgery, ovarian cancer patients receive CT scans to determine the extent of their disease.  If it is detected outside the abdomen, they would usually receive upfront chemotherapy rather than surgery.

However, CT scans are not accurate enough and diagnostic errors can occur.  The IMAGE project studied the value of gated PET/CT compared to standard imaging techniques (CT scan) in patients with ovarian cancer.  ‘Gating’ is a technique that freezes the respiratory motion to improve images of the chest.

The trial is now complete and recruited a total of 84 patients. The study found while PET/CT enabled upstaging of cancers; this information only altered clinical management in a minority of patients. More information on the results can be found here (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39237158/).

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