IMAGING OF LYMPHOMA WITH PET WITH 2-[F-18]-FLUORO-2-DEOXY-D-GLUCOSE -CORRELATION WITH CT

PURPOSE: To prospectively compare the accuracy of positron emission to mography (PET) with 2-[fluorine-18]-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose (FDG) in imaging thoracicoabdominal lymphoma to that of computed tomography (CT ). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sixteen patients with lymphoma (11 with non- Hodgkin lymphoma [NHL] and five with Hodgkin disease) underwent FDG-PE T and CT. Blinded, independent interpretations of PET and CT studies w ere followed by a direct comparison of the images. Measurement of tumo r uptake of FDG was performed on positive PET studies. RESULTS: Fifty- four foci of abnormal uptake were detected with PET in 3 patients. For ty-nine corresponding sites of lymphadenopathy and/or masses were dete cted with CT. All sites of adenopathy seen at CT were detected at PET. Three patients with Hodgkin disease had negative findings at abdomina l PET, CT, and subsequent staging laparotomy. FDG uptake was comparabl e for both the low- and intermediate-grade lymphomas. CONCLUSION: Thes e preliminary data indicate excellent accuracy for FDG-PET imaging of thoracicoabdominal lymphoma. All grades of NHL were successfully image d with FDG-PET. PET appears to be a useful method for imaging lymphoma .