Comparison of [18F]FDG-PET and L-3[123I]-iodo-alpha-methyl tyrosine (I-123 IMT)-SPECT in primary lung cancer.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to evaluate L-3[123I]-iodo-alpha-methyl tyrosine (IMT)-SPECT and FDG-PET in pulmonary lesions suspected to be lung cancer.


METHODS
Whole body PET (measured transmission corrected emission scans) was performed 45 minutes after i.v. injection of 222-370 MBq (6-10 mCi) 18F-FDG on a Siemens PET scanner (ECAT EXACT 47) including 5-6 bed positions. 123I-IMT-SPECT (chest) was performed after injection of 370 MBq (10 mCi) with a dual head camera (Picker Prism 2000) and commercially available reconstruction algorithms. Ten patients (6 male and 4 female) with suspected lung cancer were investigated. The results were compared to histological findings after surgery or bronchoscopic biopsies and CT.


RESULTS
123I-IMT-SPECT and FDG-PET were able to detect all 9 cases of lung cancer (1-8 cm in diameter). One case was true negative. Both imaging methods were true positive with respect to mediastinal lymph node metastases in one patient. The tumor/background ratio was higher with PET (8.20 vs. 2.84).


CONCLUSIONS
Despite the limited number of patients it may be concluded that IMT-SPECT as well as FDG-PET are suited to correctly diagnose lung cancer. Nevertheless, FDG-PET, if available, seems to be better suited because of the higher tumor/background ratio and better resolution.
Willkomm
P
P
Department of Nuclear Medicine, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany.
Bangard
M
M
Guhlke
S
S
Sartor
J
J
Bender
H
H
Gallkowski
U
U
Reichmann
K
K
Biersack
H J
HJ
D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D018288:Carcinoma, Small Cell / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005260:Female; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008781:Methyltyrosines; D008875:Middle Aged; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014055:Tomography, Emission-Computed / Q000379:methods*; D015899:Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon / Q000379:methods; D014915:Whole-Body Counting / Q000379:methods
D008781:Methyltyrosines; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; C030855:3-iodo-alpha-methyltyrosine