title: Use of 18F-FDG positron emission tomography following allogeneic transplantation to guide adoptive immunotherapy with donor lymphocyte infusions.
abstract: Fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography ((18)F-FDG PET) provides valuable prognostic information in the management of lymphoma patients. However, the utility of (18)F-FDG PET following allografting is unclear. We analysed the use of (18)F-FDG PET after allogeneic reduced-intensity transplantation (RIT) performed in our institution. Between June 1998 and January 2002, 55 patients underwent RIT for either Hodgkin or non-Hodgkin lymphoma. At least one (18)F-FDG PET scan was performed during the post-transplant period (median five studies) in 15 (27.2%) of these 55 patients. PET scans were performed after re-staging computed tomography (CT) and were categorised depending on (18)F-FDG uptake. The first PET scan was informative in 11 of 15 patients (73%) and influenced the administration of donor lymphocyte infusions (DLI) in nine: leading to earlier DLI administration in two patients, earlier dose escalation in one, withholding of DLI administration in five and dose reduction in one. In addition, subsequent monitoring with (18)F-FDG PET scans documented a graft-versus-lymphoma effect in five patients (median post-DLI follow-up 33 months, range 13-36 months). These preliminary data suggest that (18)F-FDG PET has a role in guiding DLI administration and monitoring the immunotherapeutic effect in patients after allogeneic transplantation. This retrospective pilot study forms the basis for a prospective study to clarify the utility of (18)F-FDG PET/CT in these patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Haematology, University College London Hospital, London, UK.
authors.forename: D P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Hart
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Avivi
authors.forename: K J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Thomson
authors.forename: K S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Peggs
authors.forename: E C
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Morris
authors.forename: A H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Goldstone
authors.forename: D C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Linch
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Ell
authors.forename: J B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Bomanji
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mackinnon
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001706:Biopsy / Q000379:methods; D016026:Bone Marrow Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006689:Hodgkin Disease / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D016219:Immunotherapy, Adoptive / Q000379:methods*; D017710:Lymphocyte Transfusion / Q000379:methods; D008228:Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography / Q000379:methods; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous
chemical_list: D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18