Identifying the significance of high tonsillar metabolic uptake in cases of lymphoproliferative disorders to rule out neoplastic etiology

Biopsy for tissue confirmation in follow-up lymphoma cases exhibiting FDG avid uptake on PET-CT in the head-neck region is a standard practice; however, literature lacks consensus on the necessity of such procedures post-chemotherapy. This study aims to evaluate the significance of PET-CT findings (SUVmax ≥ 5.0) in assessing remission or pathological status in these patients. Our findings indicate that unnecessary biopsies in cases exhibiting FDG avid uptake should be discouraged unless supported by a comprehensive clinical picture showing asymmetry, significant lymph node involvement, and corresponding CT findings. Relying solely on PET-CT may introduce unnecessary risks and elevate treatment costs