Role of PET/CT in Management of Chest Tumors

Nabil, Heba; Maher, Karima M; Mahdy, Sameh AR; Sakr, Hossam M; Abdel Karim, Khalid

doi:10.12816/0001644

Role of PET/CT in Management of Chest Tumors

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

¹ Nasser Institute Hospital for Research and Treatment, Cairo, Egypt

² Radiodiagnosis Department, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt.

³ Clinical Oncology Depatment, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt

10.12816/0001644

Abstract

ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: to identify the role of PET-CT in management of chest tumors.
PATIENTS AND METHODS: Whole body PET/CT study was performed on 32 patients of variable primary & secondary chest tumors who were under evaluation for primary or secondary chest tumors by recent CT, referred for staging before treatment and / or follow up after treatment.
RESULTS: Our findings indicate that FDG PET/CT has an important impact on diagnosis & management of chest tumors , as it delineated the metabolic activity of the disease in 19 patients (59.4 %), outlined the metabolic activity of the tumoral residue in 6 patients (18.75%) , differentiated between tumoral residue & post irradiation pneumonitis in 1 patient (3.1%), followed up the therapeutic response in 4 patients (12.5 %), differentiated between residual mass & post therapeutic fibrosis in 1 patient (3.1%) and delineated the metabolic activity of the disease for preparing for BMT in 1 patient (3.1%) and so had an impact on the management of chest tumor patients.
CONCLUSION: By recognizing the relevant radiologic and metabolic behavior of chest tumors, understanding the appropriateness of staging disease with the TNM classification system, and being familiar with potential imaging pitfalls, PET/CT can make an important contribution to diagnosis, treatment and outcome in chest tumor patients.

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