engleski

F-18-FDG-PET in patients with lymphoma-long-term follow-up study

Aim: The purpose of this study was to asses the prognostic value of fluorine-18-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) - positron emission tomography (PET) in long-term follow-up of patients with Hodgkin’ s disease (HD) and non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). Methods: This single centre study comprised 31 consecutive patients (median age 35 years ; range 16-66 years) with primary or recurrent biopsy confirmed lymphoma with a follow-up of at least 48 months (median 57 months ; range 48-75 months). PET studies were performed using hybrid PET camera with triple head coincidence imaging capability within 3 months after completion of therapy. The long-term follow-up data were extracted from the patients’ medical files. Results: Fifteen patients (5 NHL, 10 HD) had a negative PET scan. They did not receive any therapy after FDG-PET, none of them relapsed. Twelve patients presented with clear FDG pathological accumulation in one or more sites previously shown to be involved by lymphoma. Ten patients received further therapy. Six of them never achieved complete remission. Three patients entered complete remission but relapsed despite of additional therapy. Two patients were noted as false - positive. In four patients only slightly increased FDG uptake was observed (equivocal findings). Conclusions: This methodology enables reliable prognosis in long-term follow-up of patients with HD and NHL. A negative PET scan can reassure patients and their doctors that disease is not active.

PET; lymphoma follow-up

nije evidentirano