18F-FDG PET demonstrates previously unvisualised bony metastases in a lung cancer patient

Full text: A 59-year-old male, presented to his local doctor with the trivial complaint of a persistent dry cough. On clinical examination he was found to have an enlarged right supraclavicular lymph node. He was investigated with chest X-ray, Computerised Tomography (CT) and Fine Needle Aspiration Cytology (FNAC) of the palpable node CT showed a right lung mass, bulky hilar, mediastinal, supraclavicular and cervical lymph nodes FNAC was inconclusive due to an insufficient tissue sample, but suggestive of non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma. Hence excisional node biopsy was required which revealed non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Subsequent CT scans of the abdomen and pelvis for staging revealed no distant involvement. Therefore radical radiotherapy was planned to treat the locally advanced disease. Prior to treatment a Positron Emission Tomography (PET) scan was organised by his specialist as a baseline study to monitor therapy progress. Non-Attenuation corrected images of the chest, abdomen and pelvis were obtained 40 minutes post administration of 394 MBq 18F-FDG, on a Siemens 951/3IR PET scanner. The images were reconstructed using both Filtered Back Projection (FBP) and Ordered Subsets-Expectation Maximization (OSEM) algorithms. The images revealed extensive metastases particularly in the spine and pelvis, besides the known locally advanced thoracic disease A 99mTc MDP bone scan and plain film radiographs aimed at confirming bony metastases were negative, even though the bone scan noted a slight focus in the right fourth rib. The appearance suggested trauma, but a solitary bone metastasis could not be ruled out MRI of the spine confirmed the PET scan findings. Mr RD was to have curative radical radiotherapy, but after the PET results, it was decided to treat him palliatively. The value of 18F-FDG PET in staging some cancers such as NSCLC is widely accepted, in this case it was pivotal in altering the patient's management. Copyright (2002) The Australian and New Zealand Society of Nuclear Medicine Inc