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Frequency of Incidental Pulmonary Findings Detected on PET/CT Images of Elderly Patients Diagnosed with Extrapulmonary Malignant Neoplasm
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Original Article
VOLUME: 54 ISSUE: 3
P: 344-351
2021

Frequency of Incidental Pulmonary Findings Detected on PET/CT Images of Elderly Patients Diagnosed with Extrapulmonary Malignant Neoplasm

Acta Haematol Oncol Turc 2021;54(3):344-351
DOI: 10.5505/aot.2021.30164
Sibel Göksel 1
Dilek Karadoğan 2
1. Department of Nuclear Medicine, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan University, Rize, Turkey
2. Department of Chest Diseases, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan University, Rize, Turkey
3.
No information available.
No information available
Received Date: 2020-02-05T00:59:02
Accepted Date: 2021-12-01T07:10:15
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Abstract

INTRODUCTION

Reporting thorax imaging findings on 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) is important for patient management. Even if some pulmonary findings are benign, they can have serious life-threatening consequences. This study aimed to investigate the frequency of benign or malignant pulmonary findings, which were simultaneously detected in PET/CT scans, of elderly patients with extrapulmonary malignant neoplasms.

METHODS

Patients aged ≥65 years, applying to nuclear medicine department of a tertiary level health unit between November 2017 and April 2018 were retrospectively evaluated. Demographic and clinical information and PET/CT scans were obtained from their previous hospital records. Data obtained were analyzed using the SPSS version 22.

RESULTS

A total of 112 patients (mean age, 72.8 ± 7.0; females, 58.9%) were included in the study. In total, 38.4% of the patients had a smoking history, and 39.2% were exposed to second-hand smoke. The most common indications for PET/CT imaging were post-treatment evaluation (42.9%) and staging (35.7%). Predominantly diagnosed malignancies were cancers of the gastrointestinal system (26.8%), breast (26.8%), and urogenital system (17%). While most patients had benign or malign pulmonary findings in thoracic images, no abnormal pulmonary findings were observed in only 24 patients (21.4%). The most common findings were emphysema (39.3%), metastatic nodules (27.7%), bronchial wall calcifications (14.3%), and air trapping/cysts (9.8%).

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION

This study revealed that 78.6% of elderly patients with extrapulmonary malignant neoplasms undergoing PET/CT scans had at least one pathologic lung finding. Although most of these findings are benign, reporting of them is important in the management and clinical outcomes of patients with malignancy.