title: Impact of Lymphoid Follicles and Histiocytes on the False-Positive FDG Uptake of Lymph Nodes in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Although (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) PET/CT has improved the accuracy of evaluating lymph node (LN) staging in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), false-positive results remain a problem. The reason why benign LNs show high FDG uptake is still unclear. The aim of this study was to identify molecular and pathological characteristics of benign LNs showing high FDG uptake.
  
  
  METHODS
  We studied 108 mediastinal LNs of pathologically benign nature obtained from 43 patients with NSCLC who underwent FDG PET/CT and surgery. We measured the following parameters in each LN: maximum standardized uptake value (maxSUV), short diameter, maximum Hounsfield unit (maxHU) value, occupied proportions of lymphoid follicles, histiocytes in extrafollicular space and the degree of glucose transporter 1 (Glut1) expression. We compared the parameters between two LN groups according to maxSUV.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 74 LNs showing maxSUV≥3.0 (group 1) and 34 LNs with maxSUV<3.0 (group 2). The size of LN (p < 0.001) and maxHU (p = 0.003) in group 1 was higher than that in group 2. Histologically, the occupied proportions of lymphoid follicles (p = 0.031) or histiocytes (p = 0.004) were higher in group 1. The Glut1 expression of lymphoid follicles (p = 0.035) or histiocytes (p = 0.005) was also higher in group 1.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Lymphoid follicular hyperplasia and histiocyte infiltration associated with Glut1 overexpression are important molecular and pathological mechanisms for false-positive FDG uptake in benign mediastinal LNs in patients with NSCLC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine, Chonnam National University Hwasun Hospital, 160 Ilsim-ri, Hwasun, Chonnam, 519-809 Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Seong Young
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Kwon
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine, Chonnam National University Hwasun Hospital, 160 Ilsim-ri, Hwasun, Chonnam, 519-809 Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Jung-Joon
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Min
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine, Chonnam National University Hwasun Hospital, 160 Ilsim-ri, Hwasun, Chonnam, 519-809 Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Ho-Chun
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Song
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Chonnam National University Hwasun Hospital, Chonnam, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Chan
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Chonnam National University Hwasun Hospital, Chonnam, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Kook-Joo
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Na
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine, Chonnam National University Hwasun Hospital, 160 Ilsim-ri, Hwasun, Chonnam, 519-809 Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Hee-Seung
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Bom
keywords: FDG; Glut1; Histiocyte; Lymphoid follicle; Mediastinal lymph node; Non-small cell lung cancer