High Prognostic Value of One Negative F18 FDG PET/CT
for Cure of Malignant Lymphomas
Chiewvit S, MD¹, Chiewvit P, MD², Pongsawat N, BSc¹
Affiliation : ¹ Division of Nuclear Medicine, Department of Radiology, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand ² Division of Diagnostic Radiology, Department of Radiology, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
Background: The 18-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography or computed tomography (F18 FDG PET/CT) is a highly
sensitive method for determining sites of disease in the diagnosis of lymphoma. F18 FDG PET/CT in post-treatment lymphoma
is capable of distinguishing fibrosis from residual active lymphoma. No studies hitherto have addressed the value of a negative
PET/CT scan during follow-up.
Objective: To determine the incidence and consequence of a negative scan and record the active recurrence or lesion metastasis after negative F18 FDG PET/CT finding in lymphoma patients.
Materials and Methods: The present study was done retrospectively, including 82 consecutive Hodgkin’s and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma patients with a negative F18 FDG PET/CT finding between January 2008 and December 2013. Demographic and clinical data were collected and analyzed.
Results: Seventy-two of 82 negative F18 FDG PET/CT studies (87.8%) had no evidence of disease recurrence, with a mean follow-up of 1,401 days (range 120 to 3,037). Ten of 82 negative F18 FDG PET/CT studies (12.2%) developed recurrent disease, with a mean time of recurrence after PET/CT of 642 days (range 50 to 1,205).
Conclusion: Normal F18 FDG PET/CT scan after lymphoma treatment was found to be associated with low incidence of disease recurrence for a long time. Only 10 (12.2%) patients in the present study had disease recurrence, with a mean recurrence time at after PET/CT of 642 days.
Received 27 Aug 2018 | Revised 3 Jun 2019 | Accepted 15 Aug 2019
Keywords : Active recurrence, Post-treatment lymphoma, Negative F18 FDG PET/CT, Negative 18-fluorodeoxyglucose positron
emission tomography
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