Value of Bone Scan in Addition to F-18 FDG PET/CT and Characteristics of Discordant Lesions between F-18 FDG PET/CT and Bone Scan in the Spinal Bony Metastasis

Jun, Sungmin; Nam, Hyun Yeol; Kim, In Ju; Kim, Yong Ki; Kim, Ju Sung

Abstract

PURPOSE: Our purpose was to evaluate spinal bony metastasis which could be missed on an F-18 FDG PET/CT (FDG PET/CT) alone, and to characterize discordant metastatic lesions between FDG PET/CT and bone scan. MATERIAL AND METHODS: FDG PET/CT and bone scans of 43 patients with spinal bony metastasis were analyzed retrospectively. A McNemar test was performed comparing the FDG PET/CT alone to the FDG PET/CT plus bone scan in the spinal bony metastases. A one-way chi-square test was performed to characterize the metastases that were missed on the FDG PET/CT alone. To evaluate discordant lesions between FDG PET/CT and bone scan, we performed logistic regression analyses. The independent variables were sites (cervical, thoracic, and lumbar), size (large and small), and maximum SUVs, and the dependant variable was bone scan uptake (positive and negative MDP uptake).
RESULTS
A significant difference was found between the FDG PET/CT alone and the FDG PET/CT combined with the bone scan (p<0.01). Using the FDG PET/CT only, diffuse osteoblastic metastasis was missed with a significantly higher frequency (p=0.04). In the univariate analysis, cervical vertebra and small size were related to negative MDP uptake, and thoracic vertebra and large size were related to positive MDP uptake. However, in the multivariate analysis, only the large size was related to positive MDP uptake.
CONCLUSION
A bone scan in addition to the FDG PET/CT increased the ability to evaluate spinal bony metastases, especially for diffuse osteoblastic metastasis. Large metastasis was related to positive bone scan uptake in spinal bony metastasis.