Clinical usefulness of FDG-PET/CT scan imaging in the management of posttransplant lymphoproliferative disease.
BACKGROUND
Posttransplant lymphoproliferative disease (PTLD) is, aside skin cancer, the most common malignancy occurring after solid organ transplant in adults. Fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) has proved useful in the management of lymphomas.


METHODS
We report our experience with the use of FDG-PET inline with computed tomography (CT) scanning in the management of four transplant recipients with histologically confirmed PTLD, including three monomorphic PTLDs and one polymorphic PTLD.


RESULTS
FDG-PET/CT scan at diagnosis showed increased FDG uptake in all examined PTLD lesions, and the disease was upstaged on the basis of FDG-PET/CT scan results over conventional CT scanning in one patient. At the end of treatment, PET/CT scans no longer demonstrated FDG uptake in the original PTLD lesions in all patients. Complete remission of disease persisted for at least 1 year after diagnosis in all.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results strongly support that FDG-PET scanning is highly specific for diagnosis and follow-up of PTLD. The clinical relevance of including FDG-PET/CT scanning in the management of PTLD should be evaluated in a larger prospective cohort study.
Bianchi
Elena
E
Service of Hematology, University Hospital of Lausanne (CHUV), Lausanne, Switzerland.
Pascual
Manuel
M
Nicod
Marie
M
Delaloye
Angelika Bischof
AB
Duchosal
Michel A
MA
D000328:Adult; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000276:immunology; D008232:Lymphoproliferative Disorders / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008875:Middle Aged; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18