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ABSTRACT: To determine the usefulness of positron emission tomography(PET) with fluoro-2-deoxyglucose (FDG-PET) in lung cancer.
Patients who presented between September 1999 and March 2000 with lung cancer or indeterminate lung lesions on chest CT scan were enrolled and underwent FDG-PET scanning.
Of the 88 patients, 68 (77.3%) patients had malignancy and 20(22.7%) patients had a benign lesion. Of the 125 lung lesions, 80(64.0%) malignant lesions had a median standard uptake ratio (SUR) of 2.8(range 0-12.0), while 45(36.0%) benign lesions had a median SUR of 0(range 0-3.7). There was significant difference between the two groups. The diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of PET imaging for lung lesions were associated with the size of lesions but not with radiation or chemotherapy given before. The diagnostic specificity and accuracy of PET for lung lesions were significantly higher than those of CT scan. The sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of SUR method were 65.0%, 91.1% and 74.4% respectively and those of PET visual analysis were 95.0%, 95.6% and 95.2% respectively. The accuracy for lung lesions > or = 1.5 cm with SUR method was higher than that of lesions < 1.5 cm, being 93.8% and 62.3% respectively. The diagnostic sensitivity and accuracy of PET visual analysis for lymph node metastasis were significantly higher than those of CT scan. SUR was not correlated with the degree of cell differentiation, but it decreased significantly in small cell lung cancer after radiation or chemotherapy.
PET is of advantage to the evaluation of lung lesions and diagnosis of lymph node metastasis in lung cancer. PET visual analysis is recommended in lung lesions after radiation or chemotherapy or with size < 1.5 cm in diameter.
Zhonghua nei ke za zhi [Chinese journal of internal medicine] 03/2001; 40(3):150-3.
