Accuracy of 18F-FDG PET/CT for lymph node staging in non-small-cell lung cancers.
BACKGROUND
This retrospective study evaluated the diagnostic accuracy of 2-(F18)-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose-positron emission tomography ((18)F-FDG-PET)/computed tomography (PET/CT) in the preoperative diagnosis of metastatic mediastinal and hilar lymph node in patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC).


METHODS
A total of 39 patients received preoperative (18)F-FDG PET/CT and the postoperative biopsy. We compared preoperative PET/CT scan results with corresponding intraoperative histopathalogic findings in 39 NSCLC patients. The sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive and negative predictive value of (18)F-FDG PET/CT were assessed.


RESULTS
Histopathologic examination confirmed metastasis in 57 out of the 208 excised lymph nodes; 23 of the 57 nodes were mediastinal and hilar lymph nodes. The sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive predictive value and negative predictive value of PET/CT in the preoperative diagnosis of mediastinal lymph node metastasis in NSCLC patients were 65%, 96.8%, 92%, 78.5% and 90%, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
PET/CT scan showed good accuracy in the preoperative diagnosis of mediastinal and hilar lymph node metastasis in the patients with NSCLC. We recommend that PET/CT scanning be used as a first-line evaluation tool for tumor diagnosis, therapy evaluation and follow-up.
Liu
Bao-jun
BJ
Laboratory of Integrative Medicine for Lung, Inflammation and Cancers, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, China.
Dong
Jing-cheng
JC
Xu
Chang-qing
CQ
Zuo
Chuan-tao
CT
Le
Jing-Jing
JJ
Guan
Yi-hui
YH
Zhao
Jun
J
Wu
Jin-feng
JF
Duan
Xiao-hong
XH
Cao
Yu-xue
YX
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology*; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging / Q000379:methods*; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography / Q000379:methods*; D012189:Retrospective Studies
D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18