Detection rate of fluorine‐18‐fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography in patients with marginal zone lymphoma of MALT type: a meta‐analysis

Abstract

The aim of this article is to meta-analyse published data about the detection rate (DR) of fluorine-18-fluorodeoxyglucose ((18) F-FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) and PET/computed tomography (CT) in the evaluation of patients with marginal zone lymphoma of the mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT). A comprehensive literature search of studies published through February 2014 was performed. Pooled DR of (18) F-FDG PET or PET/CT including 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) was calculated on a per-patient-based analysis. Twenty studies including 376 patients with MALT lymphoma were selected. The pooled DR of (18) F-FDG PET or PET/CT was 71% (95% CI: 61-80%). A significant difference between the DR of PET/CT (69%; 95% CI: 61-80%) and that of PET alone (73%; 95% CI: 60-84%) was not demonstrated. A better DR of (18) F-FDG PET or PET/CT in bronchial (94%; 95% CI: 85-99%) and head-and-neck (90%; 95% CI: 78-98%) MALT lymphomas compared with gastric (62%; 95% CI: 46-77%) and ocular (49%; 95% CI: 36-63%) MALT lymphomas was found. This meta-analysis demonstrates that MALT lymphoma is an (18) F-FDG-avid tumour in most of the cases, suggesting a potential clinical role of (18) F-FDG PET or PET/CT in the initial evaluation of these patients. In particular, the DR of (18) F-FDG PET or PET/CT is related to the primary site of the MALT lymphoma.

The spectrum of MALT lymphoma at different sites: biological and therapeutic relevance

“…However, there is some growing evidence that many nongastric sites are usually PET-positive. 60,61 In a meta-analysis of the published literature up to 2014, 60 the pooled detection rate of 18 fluorodeoxyglucose (F-FDG) PET or PET-CT in MALT lymphomas was 71%, and appeared particularly high in the pulmonary (94%) and head and neck (90%) localizations, showing that MALT lymphoma can often be FDG-avid and suggesting a potentially relevant role of PET-CT in the initial evaluation of these patients, especially when the disease is apparently localized and radiotherapy is planned.…”

Role of fluorine‐18‐fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography in evaluating breast mucosa‐associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma: A case series

“…In 2014, Treglia et al in a meta‐analysis underlined that MALT lymphomas were often 18F‐FDG avid tumors, mainly considering bronchial and head and neck localizations. We recently demonstrated in a case series that hepatic MALT lymphomas are also 18F‐FDG avid tumors .…”

The Optimal Use of Imaging in Radiation Therapy for Lymphoma: Guidelines from the International Lymphoma Radiation Oncology Group (ILROG)

“…In addition, FDG avidity of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma is variable, [48][49][50][51][52] and 20% to 40% of patients may have a false-negative FDG-PET/CT result; therefore, MRI plays an important role in accurate assessment of this histologic type. 48,53,54 For example, MRI is used in imaging MALT lymphoma involving the head-andneck (eg, the orbit and dura) and breast, providing excellent delineation of the disease and its anatomic relations.…”