[Correlation between PET-CT 18FDG uptake in primary lesions and clinicopathological parameters in esophageal carcinoma patients].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the correlation between 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (18FDG) uptake of primary lesions during PET-CT (positron emission tomography and computed tomography) examination and clinicopathological parameters such as the tumor length, depth of invasion, differentiation of the primary lesions and lymph node metastasis status in the patients with esophageal carcinoma.


METHODS
From June 2004 to November 2006, 68 operable esophageal carcinoma patients were enrolled into this study, and all had a whole body 18FDG PET-CT scan before operation. The maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) of the primary lesions was measured. The tumor length, depth of invasion, differentiation of the primary lesions and lymph node metastasis status were determined by postoperative pathological examination. The correlation between the standardized uptake value (SUV) of primary lesions and the above mentioned clinicopathological parameters was analyzed.


RESULTS
The overall length of primary lesion was positively correlated with SUVmax (r=0.512, P=0.01). Depth of invasion was also positively correlated with SUVmax (r=0.860, P=0.000). There was a statistically significant difference in SUVmax between poorly differentiated group and moderately or well differentiated group (r=0.781, P=0.000), and also between the groups with or without lymph node metastasis (r=0.852, P=0.000).


CONCLUSIONS
The tumor length, depth of invasion and differentiation of the primary lesions of the esophageal carcinoma are all positively correlated with maximum standardized uptake value of 18FDG. The more poorly differentiated lesions show a higher 18FDG maximum standardized uptake value. The lesions with lymph node metastasis have also a significantly higher 18FDG maximum standardized uptake value than those without lymph node metastases.
Feng
Rui
R
Department of Radiotherapy, Shandong Cancer Hospital, Jinan 250117, China.
Li
Ming-Huan
MH
Kong
Li
L
Shi
Fang
F
Yang
Guo-Ren
GR
Yu
Jin-Ming
JM
D000368:Aged; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18 / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography / Q000379:methods*; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals / Q000378:metabolism*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D047368:Tumor Burden
D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18