18F-FDG PET versus CT for evaluating the spleen during initial staging of lymphoma.
The purpose of this study was to compare (18)F-FDG PET to CT for evaluating the spleen during the initial staging of lymphoma.


METHODS
Seven patients with newly diagnosed lymphoma underwent (18)F-FDG PET and CT. Splenic uptake of (18)F-FDG, diffuse or focal, greater than hepatic uptake was interpreted as consistent with tumor. CT demonstrating a positive splenic index or focal hypodensities was classified as positive for tumor. PET and CT results were compared with final diagnoses, which were confirmed surgically for 6 patients and at autopsy for 1 patient.


RESULTS
Five of 7 patients had lymphomatous involvement of the spleen. (18)F-FDG PET was true-positive for all 5 patients with splenic disease and true-negative for both patients without splenic disease. CT, in contrast, was true-positive for 4 of the 5 patients with splenic disease and false-positive for the 2 patients without splenic disease. The accuracies of (18)F-FDG PET and CT for evaluating the spleen were 100% and 57%, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
(18)F-FDG PET correctly identified all patients with and without splenic disease and was superior to CT for this purpose.
Rini
Josephine N
JN
Division of Nuclear Medicine, Long Island Jewish Medical Center, New Hyde Park, New York 11040, USA.
Leonidas
John C
JC
Tomas
Maria B
MB
Palestro
Christopher J
CJ
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005189:False Positive Reactions; D005260:Female; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D006801:Humans; D008223:Lymphoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging / Q000379:methods; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D013154:Spleen / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D013160:Splenic Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D014055:Tomography, Emission-Computed / Q000379:methods; D036542:Tomography, Spiral Computed / Q000379:methods
D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18