Non-Hodgkin`s lymphoma (NHL) consists of heterogeneous groups of neoplasm with different histopathological structure, response to therapy and prognosis. The main method of treatment used for almost all histological types of NHL with different stages and localization of disease is chemotherapy (CHT). Achievement of complete remission (CR) after 1st line CHT associated with prolonged disease-free survival and good prognosis. Partial remission (PR) is a sign of poor prognosis and requires correction of treatment strategies and regular monitoring of the patient [1, 2]. The duration of CR...

Seventy one patients with histologically verified NHL underwent18F-FDG PET in different periods of observations: as initial staging before treatment, early interim scan after 2-3 cycles of CHT, after 1st line chemotherapy and as long-term follow-up. The majority of patients received CHOP (cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine and prednisone) in standard doses every 3 weeks. Some patients received rituximab in addition to CHOP. All 18F-FDG PET scans were performed as whole-body scans after 6-8 hours of fasting. A dose of 370-555 MBq 18F-FDG was administered intravenously as a...

According to the 18F-FDG PET scans performed early during chemotherapy patients were subdivided into two groups. PET-positive group consists of 36 (50,7%) patients with persistent abnormal uptake of radiopharmaceutical. 35 (49,3%) patients were considered negative and included in PET-negative group (fig. 2). Analysis of PET-negative group results showed that 29 (82,9%) patients stayed in CR after a median follow-up of 405 days, range 78-2292 days. All patients having continuing complete remission became FDG-negative already after 2-3 cycles of CHT. In 6 (17,1%) patients of this...

The results of our study showed if interim 18F-FDG PET remains positive it means poor prognosis and this category of patients may benefit from an early change in therapeutic tactics. Early restaging positron emission tomography is an important prognostic factor to outcome and may be used to tailor induction chemotherapy in patients with non-Hodgkin`s lymphoma.

1. Lymphoma 2000. The first international symposium on biology and treatment of aggressive lymphomas. The stagnation seems to be over. Ann Hematol 2001; 80 (Suppl 3): B1-B2. 2. Coiffier B.: How to interpret the radiological abnormalities that persist after treatmentin non-Hodgkin`s lymphoma patients? Ann. Oncol. 1999; 10 (10): 1141 (editorial). 3. Coiffier B., Gisselbrecht C., Vose J.M., Tilly H., Herbrecht R., Bosly A. et al: Prognostic factors in aggressive malignant lymphomas: Description and validation of prognostic index that could identify patients requiring a more intensive...