Published August 2012 | Version v1
Journal article

correlation between the degree of malignancy of pheochromocytoma and the maximum standardized uptake value measured by 18F-FDG PET/CT

  • 1. Department of Nuclear Medicine, Ruijin Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiaotong University (China)

Description

Objective: To analyze the correlation of 18F-FDG SUVmax with plasma free metanephrines (MN), normetanephrine (NMN) and 131I-meta-iodobenzylguanidine (MIBG) scintigraphy,and to explore the role of 18F-FDG PET/CT in distinguishing between benign pheochromocytoma (BPCC) and malignant pheochromocytoma (MPCC). Methods: 18F-FDG PET/CT, plasma MN and NMN, and 131I-MIBG SPECT were studied in 19 patients with pheochromocytoma confirmed by postoperative pathology, including 11 benign and 8 malignant cases. ROC curve was drawn, and 18F-FDG SUVmax of patients with MN (NMN) positive and negative results was compared using two independent sample t-test by SPSS 17.0. Results: Both BPCC and MPCC showed positive findings on 18F-FDG PET/CT.SUVmax of MPCC (19.40 ± 7.39) was significantly higher than that of BPCC (7.44 ± 4.47; t=-4.40, P<0.01). Using a cut-off value of 8.85 on the ROC curve for determining BPCC and MPCC, the sensitivity, specificity and accuracy was 8/8, 81.8% (9/11) and 89.5% (17/19), respectively. SUVmax of adrenal lesions (19.75 ± 8.64) was significantly higher than that of extra-adrenal lesions (9.12 ± 5.83; t=- 3.18, P<0.05). The difference of SUVmax between new and recurrent lesions was not significant (t=-1.68, P>0.05). SUVmaxof MN negative cases (13.57 ±8.61) was significantly higher than that of MN positive cases (6.63 ±2.42; t=2.70, P<0.05). The difference of SUVmax between NMN negative and positive cases was not significant (t=-0.93, P>0.05). Seven patients underwent 131I-MIBG SPECT, among which one case with BPCC and four cases with MPCC were negative. The 18F-FDG PET/CT results were positive in all seven patients. Conclusions: 18F-FDG PET/CT can be used as a second-line diagnostic tool for patients with negative MN or indeterminate 131I-MIBG SPECT findings. The degree of FDG uptake has potential in the differentiation of benign from malignant pheochromocytoma. (authors)

Additional details

Publishing Information

Journal Title
Chinese Journal of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging
Journal Volume
32
Journal Issue
4
Journal Page Range
p. 259-264
ISSN
2095-2848

Optional Information

Notes
3 figs., 26 refs.