PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Yoshiki Demura
AU  - Tatsuro Tsuchida
AU  - Takeshi Ishizaki
AU  - Shiro Mizuno
AU  - Yoshitaka Totani
AU  - Shingo Ameshima
AU  - Isamu Miyamori
AU  - Masato Sasaki
AU  - Yoshiharu Yonekura
TI  - <sup>18</sup>F-FDG Accumulation with PET for Differentiation Between Benign and Malignant Lesions in the Thorax
DP  - 2003 Apr 01
TA  - Journal of Nuclear Medicine
PG  - 540--548
VI  - 44
IP  - 4
4099  - http://jnm.snmjournals.org/content/44/4/540.short
4100  - http://jnm.snmjournals.org/content/44/4/540.full
SO  - J Nucl Med2003 Apr 01; 44
AB  - Recent reports have indicated the value and limitations of 18F-FDG PET and 201Tl SPECT for determination of malignancy. We prospectively assessed and compared the usefulness of these scintigraphic examinations as well as 18F-FDG PET delayed imaging for the evaluation of thoracic abnormalities. Methods: Eighty patients with thoracic nodular lesions seen on chest CT images were examined using early and delayed 18F-FDG PET and 201Tl-SPECT imaging within 1 wk of each study. The results of 18F-FDG PET and 201Tl SPECT were evaluated and compared with the histopathologic diagnosis. Results: Fifty of the lesions were histologically confirmed to be malignant, whereas 30 were benign. On 18F-FDG PET, all malignant lesions showed higher standardized uptake value (SUV) levels at 3 than at 1 h, and benign lesions revealed the opposite results. Correlations were seen between 18F-FDG PET imaging and the degree of cell differentiation in malignant tumors. No significant difference in accuracy was found between 18F-FDG PET single-time-point imaging and 201Tl SPECT for the differentiation of malignant and benign thoracic lesions. However, the retention index (RI) of 18F-FDG PET (RI-SUV) significantly improved the accuracy of thoracic lesion diagnosis. Furthermore, 18F-FDG PET delayed imaging measuring RI-SUV metastasis was useful for diagnosing nodal involvement and it improved the specificity of mediastinal staging. Conclusion: No significant difference was found between 18F-FDG PET single-time-point imaging and 201Tl SPECT for the differentiation of malignant and benign thoracic lesions. The RI calculated by 18F-FDG PET delayed imaging provided more accurate diagnoses of lung cancer.