Abstract:
ObjectiveTo investigate the value of 18F-FDG PET/CT combined with the same scanner high resolution CT (HRCT) in the diagnosis of pulmonary ground-glass nodules (GGNs).
MethodsA total of 72 patients with pulmonary GGNs (40 cases were malignant, 32 presented benign lesions) were retrospectively analyzed and confirmed by surgical pathology or clinical follow-up.The clinical data, imaging features, maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) were analyzed statistically.
ResultsUnivariate analysis showed significant differences in diameter (t=4.932, P < 0.001), density type (χ2=29.425, P < 0.001), lobular sign (χ2=9.626, P=0.002), spiculation sign (χ2=7.605, P=0.006), pleural indentation (χ2=4.585, P=0.032), vascular convergence (χ2=7.605, P=0.006), and SUVmax(t=3.884, P < 0.001).By contrast, no differences in gender (χ2=0.026, P=0.873), age (t=1.417, P=0.161), vacuole sign (χ2=3.214, P=0.073), and air bronchus sign (χ2=1.664, P=0.197) were observed between the two groups in HRCT.Multivariate analysis showed that mixed density was a notable predictor of malignancy (χ2=10.261, OR=23.515, P < 0.05).The receiver operating characteristic curve showed the diameter ≥ 11 mm and SUVmax ≥ 0.9 as the standard reference indexes that yielded good identification accuracy.The sensitivity of HRCT, PET/CT, and PET/CT combined with the same scanner HRCT in the diagnosis of GGNs were 75.0%, 82.5%, and 90.0%, with specificity values of 81.3%, 78.1%, and 68.8% and accuracy of 77.8%, 80.6%, and 80.6%, respectively.
Conclusions18F-FDG PET/CT combined with the same scanner HRCT present certain clinical value in the differential diagnosis of GGNs by analyzing the metabolic condition and imaging characteristics.This approach can improve diagnostic sensitivity.