Diagnostic value of 18F-FDG-PET/CT for the follow-up and restaging of soft tissue sarcomas in adults

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical utility of 2-[¹⁸F] fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose (¹⁸FDG) positron emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT) (¹⁸F-FDG-PET/CT) in the follow-up of adult patients with soft tissue sarcomas.

Materials and methods: We prospectively evaluated 37 consecutive patients with known soft tissue sarcoma with ¹⁸F-FDG-PET/CT examination for suspected recurrence of disease. They were 21 men and 16 women with a mean age of 49.6±10.6 (SD) years (range, 34-75years). The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV) and accuracy of ¹⁸F-FDG-PET/CT examination were calculated on a per patient basis.

Results: ¹⁸F-FDG-PET/CT showed an overall diagnostic accuracy of 91.8%, sensitivity of 90% and a specificity of 100%. The positive predictive value and negative predictive value were 100 and 70%, respectively. The ¹⁸F-FDG-PET/CT interpretations were correct in 34/37 patients (91.8%). Incorrect interpretations occurred in three patients (8.1%). Reasons for false negative findings were low ¹⁸F-FDG uptake of local recurrence in one patient and low ¹⁸F-FDG uptake of subcentimetric inguinal lymph node metastases.

Conclusion: ¹⁸F-FDG-PET/CT has a high diagnostic value in the follow-up of patients with soft tissue sarcoma.

Keywords: (18)F-FDG-PET/CT; Accuracy study; Recurrent disease; Soft tissue sarcomas.