title: Fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography imaging of T-lymphoblastic lymphoma patients.
abstract: The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) findings in patients with T-lymphoblastic lymphoma (T-LBL). In total, 9 patients with histopathologically confirmed T-LBL were included in the study. Bone marrow (BM) involvement and leukemic transformation (LT) were evaluated through iliac crest marrow biopsy and peripheral blood blast count. FDG-PET scans were performed at the initial pre-treatment point. Two experienced nuclear medicine physicians evaluated the FDG-PET images by visual analysis and using the maximum standardized uptake values (SUVmax) of the malignant lesions. Overall, 8 out 9 patients presented with BM involvement; 7 showed LT, while 1 showed BM involvement without LT. All involved T-LBL lesions were FDG-avid with variable uptake. The mean SUVmax was 6.4±3.3. T-LBL patients with BM involvement showed diffuse or nodular marrow uptake. In addition, all the patients with LT showed diffuse marrow FDG activity. However, the patient with BM involvement but no LT showed nodular FDG uptake in the marrow. In conclusion, the present study indicates that it is possible to use FDG-PET for the evaluation of the disease extent of T-LBL. Furthermore, the imaging technique could provide a diagnostic clue for determining BM involvement or LT.
authors.affiliation: Musculoskeletal Oncology Clinic, Korea University Medical Center Anam Hospital, Seoul 136-705, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Jong Hoon
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine, Korea University Medical Center Anam Hospital, Seoul 136-705, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Kisoo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Pahk
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine, Korea University Medical Center Anam Hospital, Seoul 136-705, Republic of Korea; Department of Nuclear Medicine, Korean Institute of Radiological and Medical Sciences, Seoul 139-706, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Sungeun
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine, Korean Institute of Radiological and Medical Sciences, Seoul 139-706, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Sang Moo
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine, Korean Institute of Radiological and Medical Sciences, Seoul 139-706, Republic of Korea; Department of Nuclear Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul 110-744, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Gi Jeong
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Cheon
authors.affiliation: Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, Samsung Medical Center, Seoul 06351, Republic of Korea; Department of Internal Medicine, Korean Institute of Radiological and Medical Sciences, Seoul 139-706, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Yeon Hee
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Korean Institute of Radiological and Medical Sciences, Seoul 139-706, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Seung-Sook
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine, Korea University Medical Center Anam Hospital, Seoul 136-705, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Jae Gol
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Choe
keywords: T-lymphoblastic lymphoma; fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography; lymphoma; positron emission tomography