title: Use of positron emission tomography in initial staging of nonsmall cell lung carcinoma: a regional teaching hospital experience.
abstract: The ability to accurately diagnose mediastinal lymph node involvement is significantly important in patients with nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Positron emission tomography (PET) imaging has become a standard technique to assess lymph node involvement in patients with NSCLC. The  purpose of this study is to evaluate the accuracy of PET scan imaging as a mediastinal staging tool in patients with NSCLC at our regional teaching institution. We performed a single-institution, retrospective review of patients diagnosed with NSCLC from January 1, 2006, through December 31,  2007. We included only those patients who underwent computed tomography (CT), PET, and pathologic assessment of mediastinal lymph nodes. Using pathologic assessment as the criterion standard, the overall accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values of CT  and PET were calculated. One hundred seventeen patients were identified for inclusion in the study. The overall accuracy was 81.2 per cent for CT and 91.5 per cent for PET. Sensitivity was 42.1 per cent for CT and 52.6 per cent for PET. Specificity was 88.8 per cent for CT and 99.0 per cent  for PET. Positive predictive values were 42.1 per cent for CT and 90.9 per cent for PET; negative predictive values were 88.8 per cent for CT and 91.5 per cent for PET. False-negative result rates were 9.4 per cent for CT and 7.7 per cent for PET; false-positive result rates were 9.4 per cent  for CT and 0.9 per cent for PET. Our analysis confirms the use of PET scan imaging in the staging of patients with NSCLC at a regional teaching institution.
authors.affiliation: Furman University, Greenville, South Carolina, USA.
authors.forename: Carl T
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Geraldson
authors.forename: James E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Stephenson
authors.forename: James P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Lagrew
authors.forename: Christine M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Schammel
authors.forename: David P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Schammel
authors.forename: Ryan A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Greene
authors.forename: William D
authors.initials: WD
authors.lastname: Bolton
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary*; D005189:False Positive Reactions; D005260:Female; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology*; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging / Q000379:methods; D018307:Neoplasms, Squamous Cell / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography / Q000379:methods; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
chemical_list: D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18