Glucose metabolism correlated with cellular proliferation in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma

Abstract

Standardized uptake value (SUV) is a marker of tumor glucose metabolism detected by [18F]-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (¹⁸F-FDG-PET/CT). The maximum SUV of the whole-body (BmSUV_max) reflects the tumor aggressiveness in non-Hodgkin lymphoma. To evaluate the correlation between SUV_max at biopsy site (BxSUV_max) and proliferation potential of tumor cells in untreated diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), fifteen pre-therapy PET/CT scans in patients with histologically proven DLBCL were retrospectively analyzed together with Ki-67 proliferation index. The BmSUV_max and BxSUV_max were evaluated from the fused PET/CT images. Ki-67 proliferation index was measured in the biopsy specimens using an immunohistochemical technique in archival paraffin-embedded sections. The BmSUV_max was significantly higher than the BxSUV_max (mean 19.6 vs.16.6, p < 0.01). The BxSUV_max correlated with the Ki-67 proliferation index (r = 0.7, p < 0.01), but no correlation was detected between the BmSUV_max and the Ki-67 proliferation index. The results indicate that tumor proliferation potential might be predicted in vivo by FDG-PET/CT images. Thus, PET/CT is useful to guide biopsy by selecting sites with the BmSUV_max when clinically appropriate.

Keywords::

• diffuse large B-cell lymphoma
• FDG-PET/CT
• Ki-67 proliferation index
• non-Hodgkin's lymphoma
• SUV_max

Acknowledgements

This study was supported by the Biomedical Image Quantification/University Alliance of Finland the Science Center of Pirkanmaa Hospital District, Tampere, Finland and the Elna Savolainen Fund. We would like to thank research nurse Emmi Vettenranta and research coordinator Irja Kolehmainen.

Potential conflict of interest:

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