18F-FDG avidity in lymphoma readdressed: A study of 766 patients

PET/CTwith 18F-FDG is an important noninvasive diagnostic tool for management of patients with lymphoma, and its usemay sur-pass current guideline recommendations. The aim of the present study is to enlarge the growing body of evidence concerning 18F-FDG avidity of lymphoma to provide a basis for future guidelines. Methods: The reports from 18F-FDG PET/CT studies performed in a single center for staging of 1,093 patients with newly diag-nosed Hodgkin disease and non-Hodgkin lymphoma between 2001 and 2008 were reviewed for the presence of 18F-FDG avid-ity. Of these patients, 766 patients with a histopathologic dia-gnosis verified according to the World Health Organization classification were included in the final analysis. 18F-FDG avidity was defined as the presence of at least 1 focus of 18F-FDG up-take reported as a disease site. Nonavidity was defined as dis-ease proven by clinical examination, conventional imagin