Characteristics of lymph nodes on 18F-FDG PET/CT imaging in patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and widespread lymph node metastases carcinoma

Abstract

Objective To compare the characteristics of lymph nodes on 18F-FDG imaging in patients with NHL and widespread lymph node metastases carcinoma (WLNMC) for helping the differential diagnosis. Methods A total of 40 NHL patients(22 males, 18 females, average age 51 years) and 42 WLNMC patients (19 males, 23 females, average age 61 years) confirmed by histopathology from November 2010 to May 2015 were included in this retrospective study. The regions and the metabolism features of the lesions on PET/CT images were observed and recorded with routine visual method. Two-sample t test and χ2 test were used for statistical analysis. Results Lymph nodes of NHL were kidney-shaped(47.2%, 142/301), which was significantly different from that of WLNMC with circular form (47.6%, 140/294; χ2=36.261, P 0.05). The ratios of lymph nodes with clear boundary in NHL and WLNMC were significantly different: 28.2%(85/301) vs 19.4%(57/294); χ2=6.413, P 0.05. SUVmax of lymph nodes in NHL patients (9.02±3.97) was much higher than that in WLNMC patients (6.92±1.34; t=0.370, P<0.05). Conclusions Some characteristics of lymph nodes on 18F-FDG PET/CT imaging, such as the distribution, morphology, density and glucose metabolism features, are different in patients with NHL and WLNMC. Those differences may be helpful for the differential diagnosis. Key words: Lymphoma, non-Hodgkin; Neoplasm metastasis; Lymph nodes; Tomography, emission-computed; Tomography, X-ray computed; Deoxyglucose