Assessment of dual-time-point 18F-FDG-PET imaging for pulmonary lesions.
OBJECTIVE
The objective of this study was to assess suitability of dual-time-point 18F-FDG [(18F)-fluoro-2-deoxyglucose]-PET imaging for differentiating between malignant and benign pulmonary lesions, whose size and maximal standardized uptake values (SUVs) are greater than 10 mm and 2.5, respectively.


METHODS
A total of 38 patients, 27 with malignant lesions (n = 30), and 11 with benign lesions (n = 22), were investigated by performing two static acquisitions started at mean times t = 79 and t = 158 min after the tracer injection. A model analysis involving tissue 18F-FDG uptake and release has been developed and applied.


RESULTS
Malignant lesions showed a SUV increase between the two acquisitions for 27 of 30 lesions, and a SUV decrease or constancy for the other three. Benign lesions showed a SUV increase in 19 of 22 lesions, and a SUV decrease in three (both increase and decrease were observed for multiple benign lesions in two patients).


CONCLUSIONS
It is recommended that dual-time-point 18F-FDG-PET imaging is not indicated to differentiate between malignant and benign pulmonary lesions, whose size and maximal SUV are greater than 10 mm and 2.5, respectively. Furthermore, a model analysis suggests that the variation in SUV observed between early and delayed scans may be explained by different values of the 18F-FDG release/uptake ratio.
Laffon
Eric
E
CHU de Bordeaux, Service de Médecine Nucléaire, Laboratoire de Physiologie Cellulaire Respiratoire, et INSERM, France. elaffon@u-bordeaux2.fr
de Clermont
Henri
H
Begueret
Hugues
H
Vernejoux
Jean-Marc
JM
Thumerel
Matthieu
M
Marthan
Roger
R
Ducassou
Dominique
D
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18 / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008954:Models, Biological; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography; D013997:Time Factors
D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18