Coincidence FDG-PET in the evaluation of Langerhans' cell histiocytosis: preliminary findings.
BACKGROUND
Bone involvement in Langerhans' cell histiocytosis (LCH) is common. Both bone scintigraphy and plain films are used to identify osseous lesions, but lack specificity for disease activity and response to therapy. FDG-PET is a sensitive technique for identifying bone lesions when histiocytes are present. OBJECTIVE. To describe the potential of coincidence FDG-PET (cFDG-PET) for identification of active bone lesions in LCH and to determine whether it can provide more specific information regarding lesional response to therapy than bone scintigraphy or radiography.


METHODS
The clinical data and imaging findings of three patients with osseous lesions of LCH were retrospectively reviewed.


RESULTS
cFDG-PET identified all active LCH osseous lesions in these patients, differentiated active from healed lesions, and demonstrated normalization of uptake in a treated lesion earlier than bone scintigraphy and radiography.


CONCLUSIONS
cFDG-PET appears to have greater specificity than bone scintigraphy and radiography for the identification of active osseous lesions in LCH. It also may predict response to treatment earlier than conventional techniques. Its use in the evaluation of LCH warrants further study.
Binkovitz
Larry A
LA
Department of Radiology, Columbus Children's Hospital, 700 Children's Way, Columbus, OH 43205, USA. binkovil@chi.osu.edu
Olshefski
Randal S
RS
Adler
Brent H
BH
D000328:Adult; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D002648:Child; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D006646:Histiocytosis, Langerhans-Cell / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D014055:Tomography, Emission-Computed
D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18