PET/CT and 3T MRI for NSCLC Staging
The August issue of the journal Radiology contains an article wherein a research team from Seoul examined different modalities to complete lung cancer staging. The team compared whole-body 3T MRI and whole-body FDG-PET/CT.
The researchers reviewed imaging studies for 165 patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). All of the patients had undergone both the imaging types under consideration, whole-body PET/CT and 3T MRI. Findings from such were compared to results obtained from pathology and follow-up imaging data.
Data previously obtained suggested that this cohort of patients did not have metastatic disease. Sources considered included enhanced thoracic CT which imaged both the upper abdomen and thorax, laboratory data, and physical exam.
The team determined that there was no statistically significant advantage procured with one screening modality over another. The accuracy of staging with the two techniques was 82 percent for PET/CT and 86 percent with 3T MRI.
With respect to assessment of nodal disease, the two imaging methods yielded similar performance levels. PET/CT had moderately better results.
The primary difference in the two modalities in this role is the type of metastases detected. MR was more suited to examination of both the liver and brain. PET/CT, on the other hand, was superior in detecting metastases of the soft tissue and lymph nodes. As such, one modality may be preferred over another depending on the type of metastases suggested by other data points.
These findings suggest improvements in disease detection with MRI. The team employed a 3T system, earlier studies most often detail findings from use of a 1.5T system.
August 1, 2008 Related topics: Imaging, Diagnostic, Radiology, Hematology & Oncology