FDG/PET and spiral CT image fusion for medistinal lymph node assessment ofnon-small cell lung cancer patients

Background. To assess the potential usefulness of F-18-FDG/PET and spiral-C T images concurrent assessment and coregistration in staging mediastinal ly mph node involvement in patients with non small cell lung cancer. Methods, 28 patients waiting to undergo surgical treatment underwent spiral -CT and PET examinations on the same day. The results of the two studies we re interpreted separately, together (CT&PET) and following their fusion in a single image (CT+PET). Results of spiral-CT, PET, CT&PET and CT+PET were assessed with respect to the histological diagnosis. Results, A correct assessment of mediastinal lymph nodes was achieved by sp iral-CT in 21 of the 28 patients, in 22 of the 28 patients by PET, in 24 pa tients by CT&PET and in 25 patients by CT+PET. Conclusions. CT+PET is more accurate than spiral-CT and PET alone in stagin g mediastinal lymph node involvement in lung cancer patients, with possible implications for their prognosis and therapy.