Background: The present study compared the performance of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) using a coincidence dual-head gamma camera (FDG Co-PET) with 67gallium scinti graphy (GS) in pretreatment staging of lymphoma.
Methods: A total of 46 patients underwent FDG Co-PET, computed tomography (CT) scanning and GS for pretreatment staging of lymphoma (40 newly diagnosed and recurrence) between November 1997 and December 1999.
Results: Histological subgroups comprised low grade (8 patients), intermediate grade (25) high-grade (3) non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and Hodgkin's disease (10). Based on clinical assessment, CT scan findings and biopsy, 100 nodal sites and 15 extra-nodal sites were deemed positive. FDG Co-PET was superior to GS in nodal site positivity rate (97%vs 79%, P < 0.0001). Compared with GS, FDG Co-PET detected 39 more abnormal sites in 22 patients (48%), of which 28 sites were validated by biopsy, CT and/or progress FDG Co-PET scanning. There was only one proven false negative FDG site in the spleen. CT + FDG Co-PET led to upstaging in 2 patients (4%), compared to CT + GS.
Conclusion: FDG Co-PET shows potential for providing an accurate means for pretreatment staging of lymphoma and can detect extra sites of disease activity compared to GS.