Impact of solitary pulmonary nodule size on qualitative and quantitative assessment using 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose PET/CT: the SPUTNIK trial

• Published in: European journal of nuclear medicine and molecular imaging Vol. 48; no. 5; pp. 1560 - 1569
• Main Authors: Weir-McCall, J. R., Harris, S., Miles, K. A., Qureshi, N. R., Rintoul, R. C., Dizdarevic, S., Pike, L., Cheow, Heok K., Gilbert, Fiona J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 01.05.2021; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Accuracy; Biopsy; Blood; Cardiology; Cost analysis; Diagnosis; Diagnostic systems; Drug dosages; Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; Histology; Hospitals; Humans; Imaging; Liver; Lung cancer; Lung Neoplasms - diagnostic imaging; Lung nodules; Mediastinum; Medical diagnosis; Medical imaging; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Metastasis; Nodules; Nuclear Medicine; Oncology; Oncology – Chest; Original; Original Article; Orthopedics; Patients; Positron Emission Tomography Computed Tomography; Positron-Emission Tomography; Prospective Studies; Radiology; Radiopharmaceuticals; Retrospective Studies; Solitary Pulmonary Nodule - diagnostic imaging; Tomography; DCE-CT; Lung cancer; PET/CT; Diagnostic imaging; Solitary pulmonary nodule (SPN); Cost-effectiveness; Diagnostic accuracy trial
• ISSN: 1619-7070; 1619-7089; 1619-7089
• DOI: 10.1007/s00259-020-05089-y

Purpose To compare qualitative and semi-quantitative PET/CT criteria, and the impact of nodule size on the diagnosis of solitary pulmonary nodules in a prospective multicentre trial. Methods Patients with an SPN on CT ≥ 8 and ≤ 30 mm were recruited to the SPUTNIK trial at 16 sites accredited by the UK PET Core Lab. Qualitative assessment used a five-point ordinal PET-grade compared to the mediastinal blood pool, and a combined PET/CT grade using the CT features. Semi-quantitative measures included SUVmax of the nodule, and as an uptake ratio to the mediastinal blood pool (SUR BLOOD ) or liver (SUR LIVER ). The endpoints were diagnosis of lung cancer via biopsy/histology or completion of 2-year follow-up. Impact of nodule size was analysed by comparison between nodule size tertiles. Results Three hundred fifty-five participants completed PET/CT and 2-year follow-up, with 59% (209/355) malignant nodules. The AUCs of the three techniques were SUVmax 0.87 (95% CI 0.83;0.91); SUR BLOOD 0.87 (95% CI 0.83; 0.91, p  = 0.30 versus SUVmax); and SUR LIVER 0.87 (95% CI 0.83; 0.91, p  = 0.09 vs. SUVmax). The AUCs for all techniques remained stable across size tertiles ( p  > 0.1 for difference), although the optimal diagnostic threshold varied by size. For nodules < 12 mm, an SUVmax of 1.75 or visual uptake equal to the mediastinum yielded the highest accuracy. For nodules > 16 mm, an SUVmax ≥ 3.6 or visual PET uptake greater than the mediastinum was the most accurate. Conclusion In this multicentre trial, SUVmax was the most accurate technique for the diagnosis of solitary pulmonary nodules. Diagnostic thresholds should be altered according to nodule size. Trial registration ISRCTN - ISRCTN30784948. ClinicalTrials.gov - NCT02013063