Bone and [¹⁸F]Fluorodeoxyglucose positron-emission tomography/computed tomography scanning for the assessment of osseous involvement in Hodgkin lymphoma in children and young adults

Abstract

To compare FDG PET/CT and bone scans for the management of young patients with Hodgkin lymphoma (HL). Eighteen patients, aged 7–24 years, with HL received bone and PET scans within 2 weeks – 11 at diagnosis and 7 at known or suspected relapse (37 scan pairs). In six patients (nine scan pairs) both studies were positive. In four patients (five scan pairs), PET showed involvement not evident on bone scan. In four patients (four scan pairs), one of the studies was equivocal and the other negative. In one patient, bone scan showed abnormal uptake in a benign lesion. In nine patients (19 scan pairs), both studies were negative. All osseous metastases identified on bone scan were present on PET. Many additional sites of bony involvement were identified on PET. The bone scan may be safely eliminated.

Keywords:

• PET
• FDG
• bone
• MDP
• Hodgkin

Acknowledgments

This study was supported in part by the American Lebanese Syrian Associated Charities (ALSAC). The authors thank David Galloway for scientific editing and Sandra Gaither for assistance in preparing the manuscript.

Declaration of interest: The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.