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. 2021 Oct 14;11(10):1901.
doi: 10.3390/diagnostics11101901.

Is It Possible to Establish a Reliable Correlation between Maximum Standardized Uptake Value of 18-Fluorine Fluorodeoxyglucose Positron Emission Tomography/Computed Tomography and Histological Types of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer? Analysis of the Italian VATS Group Database

Duilio Divisi  1 , Marta Rinaldi  1 , Stefano Necozione  2 , Carlo Curcio  3 , Federico Rea  4 , Francesco Zaraca  5 , Andrea De Vico  1 , Gino Zaccagna  1 , Gabriella Di Leonardo  1 , Roberto Crisci  1 , On Behalf Of The Italian Vats Group
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Is It Possible to Establish a Reliable Correlation between Maximum Standardized Uptake Value of 18-Fluorine Fluorodeoxyglucose Positron Emission Tomography/Computed Tomography and Histological Types of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer? Analysis of the Italian VATS Group Database

Duilio Divisi et al. Diagnostics (Basel). .

Abstract

Background: Although positron emission tomography/computed tomography, often integrated with 2-deoxy-2-[fluorine-18] fluorine-D-glucose (18F-FDG-PET/CT), is fundamental in the assessment of lung cancer, the relationship between metabolic avidity of different histotypes and maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) has not yet been thoroughly investigated. The aim of the study is to establish a reliable correlation between Suvmax and histology in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), in order to facilitate patient management.

Methods: We retrospectively assessed the data about lung cancer patients entered in the Italian Registry of VATS Group from January 2014 to October 2019, after establishing the eligibility criteria of the study. In total, 8139 patients undergoing VATS lobectomy were enrolled: 3260 females and 4879 males. The relationship between SUVmax and tumor size was also analyzed.

Results: The mean values of SUVmax in the most frequent types of lung cancer were as follows: (a) 4.88 ± 3.82 for preinvasive adenocarcinoma; (b) 5.49 ± 4.10 for minimally invasive adenocarcinoma; (c) 5.87 ± 4.18 for invasive adenocarcinoma; and (d) 8.85 ± 6.70 for squamous cell carcinoma. Processing these data, we displayed a statistically difference (p < 0.000001) of FDG avidity between adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma. Moreover, by classifying patients into five groups based on tumor diameter and after evaluating the SUVmax value for each group, we noted a statistical correlation (p < 0.000001) between size and FDG uptake, also confirmed by the post hoc analysis.

Conclusions: There is a correlation between SUVmax, histopathology outcomes and tumor size in NSCLC. Further clinical trials should be performed in order to confirm our data.

Keywords: 18F-FDG-PET/CT; NSCLC; SUVmax; VATS group; biological framework; data quality.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Correlation between SUVmax and histological types.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Correlation between SUVmax and the most common histological types of lung cancer.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Correlation between SUVmax and pathology.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Correlation between SUVmax and tumor size.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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