title: Prognostic value of PET/CT in patients with lymphoma treated with autologous stem cell transplantation for relapsed/refractory or high risk disease.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT scan) has increasingly been used for management of lymphoma, however few and conflicting data have been provided in the setting of high dose therapy with autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) so far.
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrospectively evaluated the outcome of 47 NHL patients who underwent ASCT for relapsed/refractory disease or high risk disease or partial response after first line treatment, with the aim of testing sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative prognostic value of PET/CT performed before and after ASCT.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In our experience pre ASCT-PET/CT predicts outcome of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma patients with chemosensitive relapse, whereas post ASCT-PET showed a better prognostic value for relapsed disease.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Results of our study, if confirmed by studies on a larger scale, could significantly contribute to design future trials and optimize the management of lymphoma patients.
authors.affiliation: Unit of Hematology, Ca' Foncello Hospital, Treviso, Italy - pmstefani@ulss.tv.it.
authors.forename: Piero M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Stefani
authors.affiliation: Unit of Hematology, Ca' Foncello Hospital, Treviso, Italy.
authors.forename: Ugo
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Salvadori
authors.affiliation: Unit of Hematology, Ca' Foncello Hospital, Treviso, Italy.
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gottardi
authors.affiliation: Unit of Nuclear Medicine, San Giacomo Hospital, Castelfranco Veneto, Treviso, Italy.
authors.forename: Sergio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bissoli
authors.affiliation: Unit of Nuclear Medicine, San Giacomo Hospital, Castelfranco Veneto, Treviso, Italy.
authors.forename: Franca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Chierichetti
authors.affiliation: Unit of Hematology, Ca' Foncello Hospital, Treviso, Italy.
authors.forename: Filippo
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gherlinzoni
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D018380:Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation; D006801:Humans; D008223:Lymphoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D000072078:Positron Emission Tomography Computed Tomography; D011379:Prognosis; D012008:Recurrence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012306:Risk; D014182:Transplantation, Autologous; D055815:Young Adult