Clinical value of 18F-FDG PET/CT in preoperative diagnosis and TNM staging for breast cancer

Abstract

Objective To investigate the clinical value of 18F-FDG PET/CT in preoperative diagnosis and TNM staging for breast cancer. Methods A retrospective study was performed on 75 cases of patients with high likelihood of breast cancer that underwent 18F-FDG PET/CT examination from May 2015 to May 2018.The images were diagnosed and TNM staging was performed by two nuclear medicine physicians with more than five years of relative experience.Statistical software was used to calculate the positive predictive value, negative predictive value, sensitivity, specificity and accuracy, Kappa test was used to assess the consistency between PET/CT and pathological results. Results The positive predictive value, negative predictive value, sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of PET/CT diagnosis of breast cancer were 93.5%, 61.5%, 92.1%, 66.7%, and 88.0%, respectively.There was a moderate consistency between PET/CT and pathology results (Kappa=0.568, P<0.05). The correct staging of PET/CT was 49 cases in T stage, with accuracy of 84.5%, 48 cases in N stage, with accuracy of 82.7%, and 57 cases in M stage, with accuracy of 98.3%. Conclusion The 18F-FDG PET/CT was a non-invasive evaluation with high clinical value for early diagnosis and TNM staging for breast cancer, especially in detecting lymph node metastasis and distant metastasis. Key words: Breast cancer; TNM staging; PET/CT; 18F-fluorodexoxy glucose; Malignant tumor