A pilot study of the value of 18F-Fluoro-deoxy-thymidine (18F-FLT) PET/CT in predicting viable lymphoma in residual 18F-FDG avid masses following completion of therapy

摘要

Despite its success in diagnosing and staging lymphoma, ¹⁸F-FDG PET/CT can be falsely positive in areas of post-treatment inflammation. 3′-¹⁸F-Fluoro-3′-deoxy-l-thymidine (¹⁸F-FLT) is a structural analog of the DNA constituent thymidine; its uptake correlates with cellular proliferation. This pilot study evaluates the ability of ¹⁸F-FLT PET/CT to distinguish viable lymphoma from post treatment inflammatory changes in ¹⁸F-FDG-avid residual masses.Methods21 lymphoma patients with at least one ¹⁸F-FDG avid residual mass after therapy, underwent ¹⁸F-FLT PET/CT imaging. ¹⁸F-FDG and ¹⁸F-FLT uptake values were compared, including quantitative pharmacokinetic parameters extracted from the ¹⁸F-FLT time activity curves (TACs) generated from dynamic data using graphical and non-linear compartmental modeling.