The Appearance of Epidural Extranodal Marginal Zone Lymphoma (MALToma) on F-18 FDG PET/CT and Post Hoc PET/MRI Fusion

Diagnosis of non-osseous spinal metastatic disease: the role of PET/CT and PET/MRI

The spine is the third most common site for distant metastasis in cancer patients with approximately 70% of patients with metastatic cancer having spinal involvement. Positron emission tomography (PET), combined with computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), has been deeply integrated in modern clinical oncology as a pivotal component of the diagnostic work-up of patients with cancer. PET is able to diagnose several neoplastic processes before any detectable morphological changes can be identified by anatomic imaging modalities alone. In this review, we discuss the role of PET/CT and PET/MRI in the diagnostic management of non-osseous metastatic disease of the spinal canal. While sometimes subtle, recognizing such disease on FDG PET/CT and PET/MRI imaging done routinely in cancer patients can guide treatment strategies to potentially prevent irreversible neurological damage.

18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography findings in mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma of the larynx: a case report and literature review

Laryngeal mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma is rare, with only 25 cases reported in the literature. This report presents a case of laryngeal MALT lymphoma in a 35-year-old female with a 6-year history of progressively worsening hoarseness. MALT lymphoma was diagnosed based on biopsy and immunohistochemical analysis. The patient received two cycles of cyclophosphamide + epirubicin + vincristine + prednisone (CHOP) chemo therapy, which was ineffective. (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose ((18)F-FDG) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) showed (18)F-FDG accumulation in the larynx only and identified stage IE lymphoma. CHOP chemotherapy was terminated and the patient was treated with radiotherapy. After 3 months (total radiation dose 27 Gy), (18)F-FDG PET/CT scan showed that the laryngeal lesion was in complete remission. A review of the literature on the MEDLINE(®)/PubMed(®) databases regarding laryngeal MALT lymphoma and the use of PET/CT found that radiotherapy is the first-line treatment for stage I and II MALT lymphoma.

Primary spinal marginal zone lymphoma: case report and review of the literature

BACKGROUND AND IMPORTANCE

Marginal zone lymphoma (MZL) describes a heterogeneous group of indolent B-cell lymphomas. The World Health Organization recognizes 3 types of MZLs: splenic MZL, nodal MZL, and extranodal MZL of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue. There is no consensus on the optimal adjuvant treatment modalities for intracranial primary MZLs. To date, no case of spinal primary MZL has been reported.

CLINICAL PRESENTATION

We present the first case of spinal MZL diagnosed in a 65-year-old man with progressive paraparesis. He underwent surgical removal of the main spinal tumor mass, which extended epidurally from vertebral body T3 to T7. Surgery was followed by 10 sessions of local irradiation for a total dose of 31 Gy. On long-term follow-up in 2010, the patient was in good health without any signs of residual or recurrent disease. Twenty-seven publications reporting on 61 cases of intracranial primary MZL were identified and reviewed. In the majority of cases of marginal zone B-cell lymphoma, adjuvant radiotherapy was used, with some combining radiotherapy and chemotherapy after surgical removal of the bulk of the main tumor. Long-term follow-up in most patients showed no evidence of disease and clinical well-being years after the initial diagnosis.

CONCLUSION

Chemotherapy and/or radiation have been used in larger case series. Although there is no defined treatment guideline for this rare disease entity, our review of the literature suggests a favorable prognosis when combining surgical and adjuvant radiotherapy approaches.