The impact of FDG positron emission tomography imaging on the management of lymphomas

The role of 2-(F-18)-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) imaging in the management of patients with lymphoma has been eval uated. 29 patients (12 Hodgkin's disease, 17 non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL)) who underwent FDG-PET imaging during their lymphoma treatment programme wer e reviewed retrospectively. Correlation between FDG-PET and CT was evaluate d, together with the impact upon clinical management of the findings on FDG -PET imaging. FDG-PET added extra information to the findings on clinical e xamination and CT in 12 patients (41%). This was seen both in patients with negative and positive CT scan. Two false positive FDG-PET scans were seen, reflecting FDG uptake in extranodal sites. Information from FDG-PET imagin g resulted in a change in clinical management in 10 patients (34%); in two, initial management was altered, and in eight consolidation therapy after c ompletion of initial chemotherapy was influenced. These changes in clinical management occurred in six patients with high grade NHL, two with low grad e NHL and two with Hodgkin's disease. No specific subgroup was identified i n whom FDG-PET was particularly discriminant.