Correlations between Maximum Standardized Uptake Value Measured via 18 F-Fluorodeoxyglucose Positron Emission Tomography/Computed Tomography and Clinical Variables and Biochemical Indicators in Adult Lymphoma

Abstract Background Lymphoma comprises a histological heterogeneous group of cancers derived from the cells of the immune system manifested as enlargement and proliferation of lymph nodes or secondary lymphoid tissues. Earlier, the imaging evaluation and follow-up of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma patients were based solely on findings at contrast-enhanced CT. Fortunately, 18F- fluorodeoxyglucose (18F -FDG) positron emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography is gaining popularity for evaluating patients with non-Hodgkin lymphomas (NHLs) lymphoma and has proven to be more sensitive and specific than contrast-enhanced CT for evaluating nodal and extra-nodal lymphomatous involvement. Main body of Abstract 18 F-FDG PET/CT and the maximum standardized uptake value (SUV max) is currently used for the diagnosis and initial staging of NHLs. The potential usefulness of (SUV max) in NHL cases and the significance of correlations between SUV max and various indicators arc currently unknown. The aim of the current study was to investigate whether the (SUV max) measured by 18 F -FDG PET/CT could discriminate between aggressive and indolent (NHLs) including different pathological subtypes and analyze the correlations between the SUV max and other important parameters. A study was conducted among newly diagnosed 60 adult NHL patients confirmed by biopsy, pretreatment 18F-FDG PET/CT scans, and a complete medical record were retrospectively enrolled in the study including evaluation of various clinical variables; clinical stage, pathological subtype, international Prognostic Index (IPI) score as well as lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) value and then correlated with SUV max of the biopsy site on PET/CT. The area under the ROC curve for examining the accuracy of SUV max regarding distinguishing between aggressive and indolent NHLs was 0.85 and a cutoff value of > 7.7 yielded a sensitivity of 90 % and specificity of 73 %. The SUV max mean ± SD of aggressive NHL was significantly higher than that of the indolent NHL (P < 0.001). The SUV max of the biopsy site was strongly positively correlated with IPI score and clinical staging (P = 0.001), but it was not significantly correlated with LDH (P > 0.05). Short Conclusion 18F-FDG PET/CT may yield reliable measurements of tumor proliferation, and an SUV max > 7.7 suggesting that SUV max was a useful predictor of diagnosis and may distinguish between aggressive and indolent newly diagnosed NHLs in adults, SUV max correlates with IPI score and clinical staging. SUV max doesn’t correlate to LDH.