18F-Fluoro-2-Deoxy-d-Glucose PET/Computed Tomography Evaluation of Lung Cancer in Populations with High Prevalence of Tuberculosis and Other Granulomatous Disease

Expert consensus on the multidisciplinary diagnosis and treatment of multiple ground glass nodule-like lung cancer (2024 Edition)

ABSTRACT

This expert consensus reviews current literature and provides clinical practice guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of multiple ground glass nodule-like lung cancer. The main contents of this review include the following: ① follow-up strategies, ② differential diagnosis, ③ diagnosis and staging, ④ treatment methods, and ⑤ post-treatment follow-up.

[Expert Consensus for Thermal Ablation of Pulmonary Subsolid Nodules (2021 Edition)]

局部热消融技术在肺部结节治疗领域正处在起步与发展阶段，为了肺结节热消融治疗的临床实践和规范发展，由“中国医师协会肿瘤消融治疗技术专家组”“中国医师协会介入医师分会肿瘤消融专业委员会”“中国抗癌协会肿瘤消融治疗专业委员会”“中国临床肿瘤学会消融专家委员会”组织多学科国内有关专家，讨论制定了“热消融治疗肺部亚实性结节专家共识（2021年版）”。主要内容包括：①肺部亚实性结节的临床评估；②热消融治疗肺部亚实性结节技术操作规程、适应证、禁忌证、疗效评价和相关并发症；③存在的问题和未来发展方向。

PET/CT features of extrapulmonary tuberculosis at first clinical presentation: a cross-sectional observational 18F-FDG imaging study across six countries

Background

A large proportion of the huge global burden of extrapulmonary tuberculosis (EPTB) cases are treated empirically without accurate definition of disease sites and extent of multi-organ disease involvement. Positron emission tomography (PET) imaging using 2-deoxy-2-(fluorine-18) fluoro-d-glucose (18F-FDG) in tuberculosis could be a useful imaging technique for localising disease sites and extent of disease.

Methods

We conducted a study of HIV-negative adult patients with a new clinical diagnosis of EPTB across eight centres located in six countries: India, Pakistan, Thailand, South Africa, Serbia and Bangladesh, to assess the extent of disease and common sites involved at first presentation. 18F-FDG PET/computed tomography (CT) scans were performed within 2 weeks of presentation.

Findings

358 patients with EPTB (189 females; 169 males) were recruited over 45 months, with an age range of 18–83 years (females median 30 years; males median 38 years). 350 (98%) out of 358 patients (183 female, 167 male) had positive scans. 118 (33.7%) out of 350 had a single extrapulmonary site and 232 (66.3%) out of 350 had more than one site (organ) affected. Lymph nodes, skeleton, pleura and brain were common sites. 100 (28%) out of 358 EPTB patients had 18F-FDG PET/CT-positive sites in the lung. 110 patients were 18F-FDG PET/CT-positive in more body sites than were noted clinically at first presentation and 160 patients had the same number of positive body sites.

Interpretation

18F-FDG PET/CT scan has potential for further elucidating the spectrum of disease, pathogenesis of EPTB and monitoring the effects of treatment on active lesions over time, and requires longitudinal cohort studies, twinned with biopsy and molecular studies.

Plasma indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase activity as a potential biomarker for early diagnosis of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis in tuberculosis patients

Purpose: Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) remains a challenge of global TB control, with difficulty in early detection of drug-sensitive tuberculosis (DS-TB). We investigate the diagnostic significance of IDO as a potential biomarker to discriminate MDR patients among the TB patients.

Patients and methods: Plasma indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) was measured by the ratio of kynurenine (Kyn) to tryptophan (Trp) concentrations, using high performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Chest computed tomography (CT) imaging signs from TB patients were collected and analyzed in 18 DS-TB patients, 16 MDR-TB patients, 6 lung cancer (LC) patients, and 11 healthy individuals. Lung imaging signs from TB patients were collected and analyzed.

Results: We found that plasma IDO activity was significantly higher in the MDR-TB patients than in the DS-TB patients (p=0.012) and in the LC patients (p=0.003). We evaluated the diagnostic significance of plasma IDO activity in discriminating the MDR-TB group from the DS-TB group using a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. With a cutoff level of 46.58 uM/mM, the diagnostic sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) for IDO activity were 87.50%, 72.22%, 73.68%, and 86.67%, respectively. Plasma IDO activity was higher in cavity cases than in non-cavity cases (p=0.042), proving a positive correlation between lung cavity number and cavity size (p<0.05, separately) among all the TB patients studied.

Conclusion: Our findings confirmed that plasma IDO activity might have an auxiliary diagnosis value for early discrimination of MDR-TB patients from DS-TB patients. Among the TB patients with cavitary lung lesions, higher plasma IDO activity can indicate a higher risk of MDR-TB.

Identifying lung cancer in patients with active pulmonary tuberculosis

The diagnosis of lung cancer can be delayed in patients with a history of infection with pulmonary tuberculosis that present with new lesions on chest imaging, due to a high initial index of suspicion for mycobacterium tuberculosis complex rather than malignancy. This may lead to diagnosis of malignancy at a more advanced stage of the disease with subsequent increased morbidity and mortality. We reviewed the current literature to evaluate various methods of differentiating between a diagnosis of lung cancer and tuberculosis including radiography, computerized tomography (CT), positron emission tomography (PET) and various biological markers. We included only papers published in English. Based on current data, we recommend that patients established as high risk, according to the American Association of Thoracic Surgery, patients with age greater than or equal to 55 years and a smoking history of greater than or equal to 30 pack years, should be assessed with CT for underlying malignancy prior to beginning tuberculosis treatment, even in the presence of a clinical or microbiologic diagnosis of tuberculosis. In patients with equivocal CT findings, we recommend examination of tumor markers miR128, miR210, miR126 along with CEA, if these tests are at the clinician's disposal.

Pulmonary sequestration associated with increased serum tumor markers and elevated standard uptake value level in PET/CT: A case report and literature review

RATIONALE

Pulmonary sequestration (PS) is a congenital pulmonary malformation wherein a piece of tissue that ultimately develops into lung tissue is not attached to the pulmonary arterial blood supply, sometimes it is difficult to diagnosis with no specific laboratory tests, discover an abnormal blood supply from aorta by imaging tests is a key step in diagnose.

PATIENT CONCERNS

A 54-year-old male smoker presented with cough, expectoration and blood in the sputum.

DIAGNOSES

Computed tomography (CT) shows lesion in right lung, moderate standard uptake value (SUV) elevation of position-emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) in a part of the lesion, and an increased (1,3)-β-D-glucan assay (G test), Galactomannan enzyme immune-assay (GM test) and tumor marker level, biopsy of lung in different times produced inconclusive results, then finally diagnose of pulmonary sequestration is made by observing an abnormal blood supply from the thoracic aorta and volume change of mass.

INTERVENTIONS

The patient refused lower lobectomy which is the main treatment of PS. He was discharged with oral hemostatic and was advised to undergo regular medical checkups.

OUTCOMES

The patient has been followed for a year under an outpatient regimen. Symptoms of the cough and expectoration were relieved, however, blood in the sputum remains unchanged.

LESSONS

It suggests the need for criteria for a thorough diagnostic work-up. It put emphasis on the importance of considering PS as part of the diagnosis of a lesion in the lung disease and underscore the blood supply of mass. Bronchoscopy or pulmonary lobectomy and follow up of the patient are important for patients diagnosed with pulmonary sequestration.