title: The management of pyothorax-associated lymphoma using 18F-FDG PET/CT.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Pyothorax-associated lymphoma (PAL) is a rare form of lymphoma and its management on (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) combined computed tomography (CT) has not been well reported. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of FDG PET/CT in patients with PAL.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-four PET/CT images in seven patients (5 men and 2 women) with PAL were studied retrospectively. Five of the 24 PET/CT scans were done for diagnosis and staging, 6 for restaging, 3 for follow-up, and 10 to evaluate the treatment response. PET/CT scan interpretations were performed visually and using the maximum standardized uptake values (SUVmax). Additionally, the efficacy of the enhanced CT findings in pre- and post-treatments was described.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Six of the 7 patients with PAL received radiotherapy, and the efficacy of treatment was observed in their lesions. The percentage decrease of SUVmax in PAL was useful in providing complementary information. Enhanced CT findings showed decreasing enhancement of PAL after treatment; however, in five cases, residual masses were confirmed after treatment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  FDG PET/CT may be an ideal modality for reducing the false-positive interpretation of residual masses occurring after treatment for PAL. The SUVmax provides complementary information for the management of PAL.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine, Saitama Medical University International Medical Center, 1397-1 Yamane, Hidaka, Saitama, Japan. itoukimiteru@yahoo.co.jp
authors.forename: Kimiteru
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ito
authors.forename: Yoshitaka
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shida
authors.forename: Kazuo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kubota
authors.forename: Miyako
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Morooka
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Aruga
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Itami
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Matsuda
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001692:Biological Transport; D016724:Empyema, Pleural / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18 / Q000378:metabolism; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008223:Lymphoma / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18