Positron emission tomography changes management, improves prognostic stratification and is superior to gallium scintigraphy in patients with low-grade lymphoma: results of a multicentre prospective study

Eur J Nucl Med Mol Imaging. 2009 Mar;36(3):347-53. doi: 10.1007/s00259-008-0958-z. Epub 2008 Oct 18.

Abstract

Purpose: Positron emission tomography (PET) was evaluated in low-grade non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) to determine its impact on staging and management and to compare PET and gallium scans.

Methods: PET resulted in management plan changes in 74 patients with untreated low-grade NHL stages I to III. Patient outcomes to 12 months were documented.

Results: PET identified additional lesions in 50% of patients, led to a change in stage in 32%, and had a significant impact on management in 34%. Inferior progression-free survival was noted in patients with additional lesions detected by PET (p=0.001) and in the 28% of patients upstaged by PET to stage III or IV (p=0.024). In a subset of 16 patients undergoing both PET and gallium scans, PET was found to be superior.

Conclusion: PET has a major role in the management of low-grade NHL in addition to its proven role in aggressive lymphoma.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Multicenter Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Disease-Free Survival
  • Fluorine Radioisotopes
  • Fluorodeoxyglucose F18
  • Gallium Radioisotopes*
  • Humans
  • Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / diagnostic imaging*
  • Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / pathology
  • Neoplasm Staging / methods
  • Positron-Emission Tomography*
  • Prognosis
  • Prospective Studies
  • Radiopharmaceuticals
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Substances

  • Fluorine Radioisotopes
  • Gallium Radioisotopes
  • Radiopharmaceuticals
  • Fluorodeoxyglucose F18