Klin Onkol 2006; 19(3): 183-185.
Summary
Background: Negative FDG PET after treatment of Hodgkin’s lymphoma predicts favorable prognosis but positive predictive value of PET varies in different studies to a great extent.
Design and Subjects. The aim of this retrospective study was to assess the PET findings in lungs in 24 patients with initial pulmonary involvement of Hodgkin’s lymphoma after initial treatment and during the follow-up.
Methods and Results. 46 PET studies were evaluated in a group of 24 patients. Median follow-up of this group was 34 months. 20/24 patients had negative PET pulmonary scans after therapy. Two of these 20 patients progressed within three months after initial treatment in sites other than lungs. 4/24 patients had positive PET after therapy: post-radiation pneumonitis in two patients and postchemotherapeutic changes in lungs in two patients. PET positivity slowly decreased during the follow-up in all 4 patients; they were in complete remission at the time of this report.
Conclusions. 1/6 patients with initial pulmonary infiltration of Hodgkin’s lymphoma had PET positive pulmonary findings after therapy, but without tumor infiltration. The prognostic significance of positive PET findings after initial treatment of Hodgkin’s lymphoma remains to be established. Repeated PET examinations during the follow-up are suggested in these patients and lung biopsy should be considered in selected cases.
