title: FDG positron emission tomography in the diagnosis of peripheral pulmonary focal lesions.
abstract: Positron emission tomography (PET) using fluoride-18-marked fluoride deoxyglucose (FDG) represents a metabolically based imaging technique capable of providing information on the potential malignancy of peripheral pulmonary focal lesions. In the present prospective study, we investigated the effectiveness of FDG-PET in determining the dignities of 67 such lesions in 35 patients. Findings of FDG-PET were compared with those of computed tomography (CT), as well as with surgical and histological reports, and the value of FDG-PET as a diagnostic method evaluated. FDG-PET correctly identified 38 lesions as positive for malignancy, 18 correctly as negative, 7 incorrectly as negative, and 4 incorrectly as positive. Based on lesions, this yields a sensitivity of 84.4% and a specificity of 81.8%. All malignant focal lesions with a diameter of over 1.2 cm were correctly identified (sensitivity: 100%). In cases of intense FDG uptake, differentiation between a primary lesion, a metastasis, and an acute inflammation is often not possible.
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic and Vascular Surgery, University of Ulm, Germany. gisela.halter@medizin.uni-ulm.de
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Halter
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Storck
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Guhlmann
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Frank
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Grosse
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Liewald
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D012307:Risk Factors; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014055:Tomography, Emission-Computed / Q000379:methods*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
chemical_list: D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18