Abstract

Post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD) is a rare but serious complication in transplant patients. Although fluorine-18 2-fluoro-2-deoxyglucose PET and computed tomography (F-FDG PET/CT) has been used for the evaluation and management of patients with PTLD, its utility has yet to be documented. We were therefore prompted to review our experience with F-FDG PET/CT in PTLD.We retrospectively reviewed the records of consecutive patients who had undergone F-FDG PET/CT for evaluation of PTLD from January 2004 to June 2012 at our institution. F-FDG PET/CT scans were compared with other imaging modalities performed concurrently. A chart review of pertinent clinical information was also conducted.A total of 30 patients were identified (14 female and 16 male; 1.7-76.7 years of age, average: 23.8 years). Twenty-seven participants had biopsy-proven PTLD and another three had been treated for PTLD because of high clinical suspicion of disease and positive F-FDG PET/CT findings in the absence of histological diagnosis. Eighty-three percent of these PTLD patients had extranodal involvement. In 57% of the cases, F-FDG PET/CT detected occult lesions not identified on other imaging modalities or suggested PTLD in equivocal lesions. The more aggressive PTLD histological subtypes demonstrated higher SUVmax compared with the less aggressive subtypes.F-FDG PET/CT is beneficial in the diagnostic evaluation of patients with PTLD. F-FDG PET/CT has the ability to detect occult lesions not identified on other imaging modalities, particularly extranodal lesions. In addition, F-FDG PET/CT may predict the PTLD subtype, as the lesions with higher pathologic grade presented with significantly higher SUVmax compared with the less aggressive forms.

View details for DOI 10.1097/MNM.0000000000000050

View details for PubMedID 24296883