FDG-PET scan for clinical T1 lung cancer

Abstract

2-[18F]-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) has been established as an important diagnostic imaging method in the preoperative workup of suspicious pulmonary focal lesions. A standard uptake value (SUV), which is a quantity index of FDG-PET findings, is used to diagnose of malignancy. We have based diagnose of malignancy on FDG-PET qualitative analysis using visual assessment along with the results of chest radiography and CT. Preoperative FDG-PET was performed in 26 patients with clinical suspected T1 lung cancer. FDG-PET qualitative diagnosis (PET visual diagnosis) was compared with the quantitative analysis using SUV (PET SUV diagnosis) in those 26 patients. There were 22 malignant cases and 4 benign cases in which SUVs were 3.62±3.88 and 2.33±1.49, respectively. Both sensitivity and accuracy were significantly higher for PET visual diagnosis than for PET SUV diagnosis (86% vs 45%, p=0.005, 77% vs 50%, p=0.046, respectively). FDG-PET qualitative analysis including the results of chest radiography and CT should be used for the diagnosis of malignancy in clinical suspected T1 lung cancer.