PET Shown To Outperform CT in Characterization of Lung Nodules

Researchers involved in a large, multi-institutional study comparing the accuracy of positron emission tomography (PET) and computed tomography (CT) imaging in the characterization of lung nodules discovered that PET was far more effective in detecting whether or not a nodule was malignant.

"CT and PET have been widely used to characterize solitary pulmonary nodules [SPNs] as benign or malignant,” said Dr. James W. Fletcher, professor of radiology at Indiana University School of Medicine (Indianapolis, IN, USA). "Almost all previous studies examining the accuracy of CT for characterizing lung nodules, however, were performed more than 15 years ago with outdated technology and methods, and previous PET studies were limited by small sample sizes. Detecting and characterizing SPNs is important because malignant nodules represent a potentially curable form of lung cancer. Identifying which SPNs are most likely to be malignant enables physicians to initiate the proper therapy before local or distant metastases develop,” said Dr. Fletcher.

In a head-to-head study addressing the limitations of previous studies, PET and CT images on 344 patients were independently interpreted by a panel of experts in each imaging modality, and their determination of benign and malignant nodules were compared to pathologic findings or changes in SPN size over the next two years.

The researchers found that when PET and CT results were interpreted as "probably” or "definitely” benign, the results were "strongly associated with a benign final diagnosis”--in other words, the modalities were equally effective at making this determination. PET's superior specificity (accuracy in characterizing a nodule as benign or malignant), however, resulted in correctly classifying 58% of the benign nodules that had been incorrectly classified as malignant on CT. Furthermore, when PET interpreted SPNs as definitely malignant, a malignant final diagnosis was 10 times more likely than a benign.

SPNs are typically encountered in both primary and specialty settings, frequently appearing on chest x-rays obtained for some other reason than cancer screening and are often the first sign of lung cancer. The question for these patients then becomes whether to undergo surgery, undergo a needle biopsy, or "watch and wait” to find out if the nodule is benign or malignant but treatable.

"In patients with an untreated and undiagnosed SPN between 7 and 30 mm, PET provides better identification of malignant nodules that require a more aggressive treatment approach,” said Dr. Fletcher. "PET in combination with CT can also provide good identification of those nodules that are most likely to be benign, suggesting that a ‘watch and wait' strategy can be adopted in lieu of unnecessary invasive--and expensive--procedures such as needle biopsy or surgery,” he added.


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Indiana University School of Medicine