Integrated PET/CT of Pulmonary Neuroendocrine Tumors: Diagnostic and Prognostic Implications
- 1 May 2007
- journal article
- Published by American Roentgen Ray Society in American Journal of Roentgenology
- Vol. 188 (5), 1223-1231
- https://doi.org/10.2214/ajr.06.0503
Abstract
OBJECTIVE. The purpose of this study was to describe retrospectively integrated PET/CT findings on pulmonary neuroendocrine tumors and to correlate the findings with prognosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS. Between May 2003 and February 2005, 37 consecutively enrolled patients (33 men and four women; mean age, 60 years) with histopathologically proven pulmonary neuroendocrine tumors underwent 18F-FDG PET/CT after enhanced standalone CT. CT was used to analyze the morphologic features of the tumors and PET to measure maximum standardized uptake value (SUV). Maximum SUVs of carcinoid tumors, large-cell neuroendocrine carcinomas (LCNECs), and small-cell lung carcinomas (SCLCs) were compared, and maximum SUV and tumor stage and prognosis were correlated. RESULTS. Four (two typical and two atypical) of the seven carcinoid tumors had no FDG uptake or less than mediastinal uptake. The maximum SUVs of primary tumors, in increasing order, were significantly different for carcinoids (mean, 4.0; median, 3.4), LCNECs (mean, 12.0; median, 10.7), and SCLCs (mean, 11.6; median, 11.7) (p = 0.006, Kruskal-Wallis test). There was no significant correlation between maximum SUV of the primary tumor and the tumor stages of carcinoids, LCNECs, or SCLCs (p = 0.08, Jonckheere-Terpstra test; p = 0.768, Mann-Whitney test). Results of receiver operating characteristics analysis showed a maximum SUV greater than 13.7 suggested a poor survival period in cases of LCNEC and SCLC. CONCLUSION. The maximum SUVs of neuroendocrine tumors are significantly different for carcinoid tumors, LCNECs, and SCLCs, and a high maximum SUV suggests short survival of patients with LCNEC or SCLC.Keywords
This publication has 24 references indexed in Scilit:
- Neuroendocrine Tumors of the Lung: Clinical, Pathologic, and Imaging FindingsRadioGraphics, 2006
- CT Findings of Surgically Resected Large Cell Neuroendocrine Carcinoma of the Lung in 38 PatientsAmerican Journal of Roentgenology, 2004
- Large Cell Neuroendocrine Carcinoma of the Lung: Clinical, CT, and Pathologic Findings in 11 PatientsJournal of Thoracic Imaging, 2001
- Resected Peripheral Small Cell Carcinoma of the LungJournal of Thoracic Imaging, 1999
- Survival Analysis of 200 Pulmonary Neuroendocrine Tumors With Clarification of Criteria for Atypical Carcinoid and Its Separation From Typical CarcinoidThe American Journal of Surgical Pathology, 1998
- Evaluation of primary pulmonary carcinoid tumors using FDG PET.American Journal of Roentgenology, 1998
- Neuroendocrine Tumors of the Lung With Proposed Criteria for Large-Cell Neuroendocrine CarcinomaThe American Journal of Surgical Pathology, 1991
- Small cell lung cancer presenting as a solitary pulmonary noduleCancer, 1990
- Small-cell bronchogenic carcinoma: CT evaluationAmerican Journal of Roentgenology, 1988
- Small cell tumors of the lungThe American Journal of Surgical Pathology, 1983