Author/Authors :
Lococo, Filippo Universita Cattolica del Sacro Cuore - Rome, Italy , Muoio, Barbara Oncology Institute of Southern Switzerland - Ente Ospedaliero Cantonale - Bellinzona, Switzerland , Chiappetta, Marco Universita Cattolica del Sacro Cuore - Rome, Italy , Nachira, Dania Universita Cattolica del Sacro Cuore - Rome, Italy , Petracca Ciavarella, Leonardo Universita Cattolica del Sacro Cuore - Rome, Italy , Margaritora, Stefano Universita Cattolica del Sacro Cuore - Rome, Italy , Treglia, Giorgio Department of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging - Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne - Lausanne, Switzerland
Abstract :
Several meta-analyses have reported data about the diagnostic performance of positron emission tomography or positron
emission tomography/computed tomography (PETor PET/CT) with different radiotracers in patients with suspicious lung cancer
(LC) or pleural tumours (PT). &is review article aims at providing an overview on the recent evidence-based data in this setting.
Methods. A comprehensive literature search of meta-analyses published in PubMed/MEDLINE and Cochrane Library database
from January 2010 through March 2020 about the diagnostic performance of PET or PET/CT with different radiotracers in
patients with suspicious LC or PT was performed. &is combination of keywords was used: (A) “PET” or “positron emission
tomography” and (B) “lung” or “pulmonary” or “pleur∗
” and (C) meta-analysis. Only meta-analyses on PET or PET/CT in
patients with suspicious LC or PTwere selected. Results. We have summarized the diagnostic performance of PET or PET/CTwith
fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) and other radiotracers taking into account 17 meta-analyses. Evidence-based data
demonstrated a good diagnostic performance of 18F-FDG PET or PET/CTfor the characterization of solitary pulmonary nodules
(SPNs) or pleural lesions with overall higher sensitivity than specificity. Evidence-based data do not support the routine use of dual
time point (DTP) 18F-FDG PET/CT or fluorine-18 fluorothymidine (18F-FLT) PET/CT in the differential diagnosis of SPNs. Even
if 18F-FDG PET/CT has high sensitivity and specificity as a selective screening modality for LC, its role in this setting remains
unknown. Conclusions. Evidence-based data about the diagnostic performance of PET/CT with different radiotracers for suspicious LC or PT are increasing, with good diagnostic performance of 18F-FDG PET/CT. More prospective multicenter studies
and cost-effectiveness analyses are warranted.
Keywords :
PET/CT , Tumour , PET , tomography
