PET scans: When and how?

Abstract

PET scans are almost always abnormal at diagnosis in the most common B-cell lymphomas (diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, follicular lymphoma, and Hodgkin lymphoma), and normalization after therapy is highly predictive of a good outcome. But how to apply PET scans to the management of these patients remains problematic. The major controversies include when (ie, for staging, after 2-4 cycles of therapy, after completion of therapy, surveillance in remission) and how (ie, we know they should always be combined with CT scanning, but the relative merits of visual interpretation and SUV [standard uptake value] calculation are debated).