Background: The evaluation of solitary lung nodules via FDG PET/CT has
high sensitivity for nodules larger than 8 mm and is utilized to exclude
lung cancer. Aim: This study aimed to retrospectively explore whether
the lesions in patients who underwent F18 fluorodeoxyglucose-positron
emission tomography/computed tomography imaging with the staging of the
solitary pulmonary nodule and lung mass were within the local imaging
area. It also investigated whether a relationship existed between the
size of the lung lesion and extrathoracic spread. Materials and Method:
Three hundred eight patients histopathologically diagnosed lung cancer
were included in this study. All patients lung lesions were measured and
patients were classified as four groups according to the size of the
lung lesion. In all groups, the F18 FDG PET/CT examination was used to
detect liver, adrenal, bone and supraclavicular lymph node metastasis,
besides extrathoracic metastasis. Results: Liver, bone and extrathoracic
metastasis of group-1 was statistically lower than group-2 (P
< 0.001, p<0.01 and P = 0.03, respectively). Liver,
extrathoracic, adrenal and bone metastasis of group-3 was statistically
lower than the group-4 (P<0.001, P = 0.01, and P = 0.04,
p<0.01 respectively). Extrathoracic extension was observed in
only one patient in the group-3. In addition liver, adrenal, and bone
metastases were not observed in any group-3 patients. Conclusions:
PET/CT may be a more appropriate approach to be aplied in cases with
nodule diameter ≤20mm. Performing local imaging in patients with a
nodule diameter of ≤20 mm could not only reduce radiation exposure but
also save radiopharmaceuticals used in PET/CT imaging. Keywords: lung
cancer, solitary pulmonary nodule, PET/CT, fluorodeoxyglucos
SIGNIFICANCE OF LOCAL F18 FDG PET/CT IMAGING IN LUNG CANCER