Originally published as JCO Early Release 10.1200/JCO.2008.19.7814 on August 10 2009

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Early and Late Therapy Response Assessment With [¹⁸F]Fluorodeoxyglucose Positron Emission Tomography in Pediatric Hodgkin's Lymphoma: Analysis of a Prospective Multicenter Trial

From the Campus Virchow-Klinikum; Klinik für Strahlenheilkunde, Abteilung Pädiatrische Radiologie Campus Virchow-Klinikum, Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin; Klinik für Radiologie und Nuklearmedizin, Otto-von-Guericke Universität, Universitätsklinikum Magdeburg Anstalt des öffenlichen Rechts; Pädiatrie m.S. Onkologie und Hämatologie, Otto-Heubner-Centrum für Kinder- und Jugendmedizin, Campus Virchow-Klinikum, Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin; Klinik für Kinder-Onkologie, -Hämatologie, und klinische Immunologie, Universitätsklinikum Düsseldorf; Klinik und Poliklinik für Nuklearmedizin der Universität zu Köln; Nuklearmedizinische Klinik, Forschungszentrum Jülich und Universitätsklinikum Düsseldorf, Germany.

Corresponding author: Christian Furth, MD, Klinik für Radiologie und Nuklearmedizin, Otto-von-Guericke Universität, Universitätsklinikum Magdeburg A.ö.R., Leipziger Strasse 44, 39120 Magdeburg, Germany; e-mail: christian.furth{at}med.ovgu.de.

Purpose In adult Hodgkin's lymphoma (HL) risk stratification after early therapy response assessment with [¹⁸F]fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) seems to allow tailoring therapy with less toxicity for patients with adequate metabolic response. This study delivers the first prospective data on the potential of FDG-PET for response assessment in pediatric HL.

Patients and Methods FDG-PET was performed in 40 pediatric HL patients before polychemotherapy (PET-1), after two cycles of polychemotherapy (PET-2), and after completion of polychemotherapy (PET-3). Mean follow-up was 46 months (range, 26 to 72 months).

Results At early and late response assessment, the proportion of PET-negative patients was significantly higher compared with those patients with negative findings in conventional imaging methods (CIMs; PET-2, 26 of 40 v CIM-2, one of 40; P < .001; PET-3, 21 of 29 v CIM-3, four of 29; P < .001). Sensitivity and negative predictive value were 100% for early and late therapy response assessment by PET. Both patients suffering a relapse during follow-up were identified by PET-2/3, whereas one of these patients was not detected by CIM-3. PET was superior to CIMs with regard to specificity in early and late therapy response assessment (68% v 3%, and 78% v 11%, respectively; both P < .001). Specificity of early therapy response assessment by PET was improved to 97% by quantitative analysis of maximal standardized uptake value reduction using a cutoff value of 58%.

Conclusion Pediatric HL patients with a negative PET in response assessment have an excellent prognosis while PET-positive patients have an increased risk for relapse.

Supported by Grant No. 50-2714-He 1 from the Deutsche Krebshilfe e.V.

Authors' disclosures of potential conflicts of interest and author contributions are found at the end of this article.

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