FDG Uptake and CT Contrast Enhancement According to Histopathologic Types in Lung Cancers

Han, You Mie; Choe, Jae Gol; Kim, Young Chul; Park, Eun Kyung

Abstract

PURPOSE: The aims of this study were to analyze correlation between the maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) of 2-[F-18]-fluoro-2-deoxy-d-glucose (FDG) on positron emission computed tomography (PET-CT) scan and the degree of contrast enhancement on computed tomography (CT) scan in lung cancers, and to recognize the difference in SUVmax and CT enhancement between groups of different histopathologic subtypes.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Our study included 53 patients of pathologically confirmed primary lung cancer, who were performed PET-CT and post-contrast chest CT. We calculated initial and delayed SUVmax (SUV1, SUV2), difference between SUV1 and SUV2 (SUVd), retention index (RI), and the degrees of CT contrast enhancement of lung cancers. We analyzed these variables for subtypes of lung cancers.
RESULTS
The values (mean +/- standard deviation) were 8.3+/-4.4 for SUV1, 10.7+/-5.7 for SUV2, 2.4+/-1.6 for SUVd, 30+/-14 for RI and 47.1+/-14.8 HU (Hounsfield Unit) for degree of CT contrast enhancement. The difference of SUV1 and degree of CT enhancement between subtypes was not meaningful. SUV1 showed positive correlations with SUVd (r=0.74, p<0.01) and tumor size (r=0.58, p<0.01), but no significant correlation with degree of CT enhancement (r=0.06, p=0.69). In 10 cases, there was discrepancy in the same mass between the area of highest FDG-uptake and the area of highest contrast enhancement.
CONCLUSION
We suggest that FDG uptake in lung cancer does not have a positive linear correlation with degree of CT enhancement. And there is no significant difference in FDG uptake and degree of CT enhancement between different subtypes of lung cancers