PET-CT for Evaluation of Spleen and Liver 18F-FDG Diffuse Uptake Without Lymph Node Enlargement in Lymphoma.

Abstract

The aim of the study was to compare differences between lymphoma and inflammation as indicated by high diffuse uptake of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) in the spleen, liver, and bone marrow without increased 18F-FDG uptake in the lymph nodes and without enlarged peripheral lymph nodes.Eighteen lymphoma patients and 14 inflammation patients were examined with 18F-FDG positron emission tomography–computer tomography (PET-CT). All patients displayed high diffuse uptake of 18F-FDG in the spleen, liver, and bone marrow without increased 18F-FDG uptake in the lymph nodes and without enlarged peripheral lymph nodes. Our analyses compared the maximum standardized uptake values (SUVmax) of 18F-FDG uptake ratios between the spleen/liver, the spleen/bone marrow, and the liver/bone marrow and further compared spleen sizes between lymphoma and inflammation patients.Using Student t test, no significant differences were found in the SUVmax ratios of spleen/liver and liver/bone marrow between the lymphoma and inflammation patients (t = 0.853, P = 0.401 > 0.05; t = 1.622, P = 0.115 > 0.05). However, the SUVmax ratio of the spleen/bone marrow of the lymphoma patients was significantly different from that of the inflammation patients (t = 2.426, P = 0.021 < 0.05). The spleen size between the lymphoma and inflammation patients was also significantly different (t = 2.911, P = 0.007 < 0.05).As indicated by 18F-FDG PET-CT, our study demonstrated that lymphoma and inflammation patients displayed a few differences despite both having high diffuse uptake of 18F-FDG in the spleen, liver, and bone marrow without enlarged peripheral lymph nodes and without increased 18F-FDG uptake in lymph nodes.