Correlation Between¹⁸F-FDG Uptake With Clinicopathologic Factors Of Non-small Cell Lung Cancer

Objective:To investigate the relationship between the maximal standardized uptake value (SUVmax) with the pathologic pattern, pathology grade, clinical stage, tumor size and SUVmax of intrathoracic metastatic lymph nodes of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).Methods:124NSCLC patients from August2013to March2014with confirmed lung cancer underwent18F-FDG PET-CT scan before treatment were included in this study.①.We obtained the SUVmax of mediastinal and hilar lymph nodes and then calculated the change in SUVmax of intrathoracic metastatic lymph nodes (LN) to primary tumor (PT):△SUVmax=(SUVmaxPT-SUVmaxLN)/SUVmaxPT.②.The relationship with the SUVmaxand pathology grade was analyzed with ANOVA and Spearman correlation.③.The relationship with the SUVmax and clinical stage was analyzed with ANOVA and Spearman correlation.④.The study divided almost124patients into3groups:group≤3cm, group>3cm and≤5cm, group>5cm. The relationship with the SUVmax and tumor size was analyzed with ANOVA and Pearson correlation.⑤.The relationship with the SUVmax and pathologic pattern was analyzed with two-sample t-test.Result:①. The difference between the△SUVmax of lymphatic metastasis negative group and lymphatic metastasis positive group was statistically significant (0.57±0.24,0.34±0.19P=0.000).②. There were no difference in the SUVmax among the high, middle and the low differentiation groups (7.19±3.51,8.14±4.26,9.40±4.68; P=0.052), but a significant differnce between high and low differentiation group (P=0.017)(0.57±0.24,0.34±0.19, P=0.000). SUVmax show a negtive correlation with the differentiation (p=-0.215).③. The difference between the SUVmax of stage Ⅰ, stage Ⅱ, stage Ⅲa, and stage Ⅲb+Ⅳ were statistically significant (7.07±3.99,7.48±4.88,9.89±4.17,8.30±3.96; P<0.05). Data analysis revealed a positive correlation of the clinical stage and SUVmax (p=0.188; p<0.05).④. The difference of SUVmax were significant between tumor size of≤3cm,>3cm and≤5cm,>5cm (5.04±2.91,9.29±3.34,10.75±3.25; P=0.000). Pearson correlation analysis revealed a positive correlation of the tumor size and SUVmax (5.04±2.91,9.29±3.34,8.14±4.26,9.40±4.68; P=0.052).⑤.The SUVmax in squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma were9.33±3.65,7.30±4.03. There was significant defference of SUVmax between squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma (P=0.004).Conclusion:There were relationship between the SUVmax of lung cancer tomor with the patllologic pattern, pathology grade, clinical stage, tumor size. SUVmax had potential refence in evaluate differentiation and TNM stage of NSCLC patients. In addition,△SUVmax of mediastinal and hilar lymph nodes may become a new diagnosis index to increase the accuacy.