Prognostic Value of 18F-FDG PET/CT Metabolic Parameters in Patients with Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma

Abstract

To investigate the prognostic value of metabolic parameters of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). The clinical data of 58 patients with DLBCL who were examined by 18F-FDG PET/CT before treatment and confirmed by pathology were analyzed retrospectively. The relationships between maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax), metabolic tumor volume (MTV), total lesion glycolysis (TLG) and clinical factors were analyzed. Kaplan Meier method, Log-rank test and multivariate Cox regression were used to analyze the relationships between metabolic SUVmax, MTV, TLG and times of total overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS). The SUVmax, MTV and TLG of 58 DLBCL patients were 21.45 (10.26-42.38), 27.30 (14.20-133.25) cm3 and 322.85 (47.35-1438.20), respectively. Univariate analysis showed that large mass, Ann Arbor stage, international prognostic index, MTV and TLG were the factors influencing OS and PFS in DLBCL patients (P<0.05), while lactate dehydrogenase and SUVmax were the factors influencing PFS only (P<0.05). Multivariate analysis showed that MTV (HR=2.974, 95%CI: 1.803-7.225)/(HR=3.925, 95%CI: 1.973-8.246) and TLG (HR=2.583, 95%CI: 1.192-5.316)/(HR=2.874, 95%CI: 1.538-6.483) were independent risk factors for OS and PFS in DLBCL patients (P<0.05), and international prognostic index (HR=2.490, 95%CI: 1.150-4.962) was independent risk factor for OS in DLBCL patients (P<0.05). MTV and TLG are independent risk factors for OS and PFS in patients with DLBCL, which may be valuable for prognosis of patients with DLBCL.