title: Utility of 18F-FDG PET/CT for staging NK/T-cell lymphomas.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Extranodal natural killer (NK)/T-cell lymphoma is a rare neoplasm and limited data has reported regarding the utilization of fluorine-18, fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (F-FDG PET/CT) in this disease. The aim of this study was to assess the role of F-FDG PET/CT in the staging of NK/T-cell lymphomas.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirteen newly diagnosed and two recurrent patients with NK/T-cell lymphoma who received F-FDG PET/CT were studied. The lesion with intense F-FDG uptake was suggested as the positive and was measured using maximal standardized uptake values. The results of PET/CT were compared with the conventional staging examinations.
  
  
  RESULTS
  F-FDG PET/CT detected nasal or extranasal lymphoma lesions in at least one site in all of the 15 patients. There was no significant difference of F-FDG uptake in lesions between patients with stage I-II disease and those with stage III-IV disease (maximal standardized uptake values 8.44+/-5.56 vs. 10.32+/-7.80; t=0.757, P>0.05). In two patients with an indeterminate diagnosis, the diagnosis of NK/T-cell lymphomas was established by biopsy guided by PET/CT and the status of stage IV was correctly identified. In 13 patients with definite diagnosis, the stage of disease was changed in six patients on the basis of F-FDG PET/CT. Two patients were down staged, and four patients upstaged.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The lesions of the NK/T-cell lymphoma are F-FDG avid and PET/CT seems to be useful in the staging of this disease.
authors.affiliation: NanFang PET Center, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province 510515, China.
authors.forename: Hu-Bing
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Quan-Shi
authors.initials: QS
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Ming-Fang
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Hong-Sheng
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Wen-Lan
authors.initials: WL
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Xiang-Hua
authors.initials: XH
authors.lastname: Ye
authors.forename: Qiao-Yu
authors.initials: QY
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001706:Biopsy; D005189:False Positive Reactions; D005260:Female; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D006801:Humans; D016399:Lymphoma, T-Cell / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008297:Male; D008495:Medical Oncology / Q000379:methods; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging / Q000379:methods*; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards
chemical_list: D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18