title: Would you bet on PET? Evaluation of the significance of positive PET scan results post-microwave ablation for non-small cell lung cancer.
abstract: Fluodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) imaging is an acknowledged modality for the follow-up of solid tumours treated with thermal ablation, with persistent or new FDG uptake at the ablation site considered to be a reliable indicator of local recurrence. Several cases of proven false-positive FDG-PET scans are illustrated in this pictorial essay with uptake at the site of the ablated tumour, remote from the ablated lesion and in mediastinal and hilar lymph nodes. Positive FDG-PET scans post-thermal ablation of lung tumours therefore cannot always reliably predict local tumour recurrence or nodal spread. It is important to be familiar with FDG uptake patterns post-ablation and their significance. FDG-PET avid lesions post-ablation may require histological confirmation before further therapy is planned or management is changed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Imaging, Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
authors.forename: Syed N
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Zaheer
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Imaging, Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
authors.forename: Justin M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Whitley
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine and Queensland PET Service, Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.|School of Medicine, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
authors.forename: Paul A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Imaging, Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.|School of Medicine, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
authors.forename: Karin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Steinke
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery*; D017115:Catheter Ablation / Q000379:methods; D005189:False Positive Reactions; D005260:Female; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008872:Microwaves / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000517:prevention & control; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography / Q000379:methods*; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18
keywords: false-positive; fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography (FDG-PET); microwave ablation (MWA); non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC); tumour recurrence