Diagnostic and staging impact of radiotherapy planning FDG-PET-CT in non-small-cell lung cancer

Abstract Background and purpose To evaluate whether FDG-PET performed for radiotherapy (RT) planning can detect disease progression, compared with staging PET. Materials and methods Twenty-six patients with newly-diagnosed non-small-cell lung cancer underwent planning PET-CT for curative RT within 8weeks (mean: 33±14days) of staging PET-CT. Progressive disease (PD) was defined as >25% increase in tumour size (transaxial) or volume, as delineated by SUV threshold of 2.5, or new sites (SUV>2.5). Results The planning PET detected PD in 16 patients (61%), compared to four patients (15%) by CT component of PET-CT. The mean scan interval was longer in patients with progression: 40±12days, compared to 22±11days without progression. Planning PET detected PD in 13/17 (76%), 12/14 (86%) and 7/7 patients if the interval was ⩾4, 5 and 6weeks, respectively, compared with 3/9 patients if interval Conclusions RT-planning FDG-PET can provide incremental diagnostic information and may impact on staging in a significant number of patients.