ORIGINAL ARTICLES   

Minerva Pneumologica 2000 June;39(2):69-78

Copyright © 2000 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: English

FDG/PET and spiral CT image fusion for mediastinal lymph node assessment of non-small cell lung cancer patients

Magnani P., Carretta A., Rizzo G., Fazio F., Vanzulli A., Lucignani G., Zannini P., Messa C., Landoni C., Gilardi M. C., Del Maschio A.

Background. To assess the potential usefulness of 18F-FDG/PET and spiral-CT images concurrent assessment and coregistration in staging mediastinal lymph node involvement in patients with non small cell lung cancer.
Methods. 28 patients waiting to undergo surgical treatment underwent spiral-CT and PET examinations on the same day. The results of the two studies were interpreted separately, together (CT&PET) and following their fusion in a single image (CT+PET). Results of spiral-CT, PET, CT&PET and CT+PET were assessed with respect to the histological diagnosis.
Results. A correct assessment of mediastinal lymph nodes was achieved by spiral-CT in 21 of the 28 patients, in 22 of the 28 patients by PET, in 24 patients by CT&PET and in 25 patients by CT+PET.
Conclusions. CT+PET is more accurate than spiral-CT and PET alone in staging mediastinal lymph node involvement in lung cancer patients, with possible implications for their prognosis and therapy.