The Role of FDG-PET in the Diagnosis and Staging of Ocular Adnexal Lymphoproliferative Disease.

PURPOSE: To further evaluate fluorine 18 fluoro-deoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG PET) in the staging of ocular adnexal lymphoproliferative disease (OALD).

METHODS

Retrospective and prospective case series with review of clinical and imaging records including computed tomography (CT), FDG PET (± PET/CT) and/or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

RESULTS

Thirty-four patients had FDG PET and CT scans at initial staging. Eleven were retrospectively reviewed and 23 were prospectively enrolled. Of 34 patients, 17 (50%) had primary disease, 17 (50%) had secondary and of these, 13 patients (38%) had OALD as their initial manifestation. Sixteen patients had active systemic disease in conjunction with their orbital disease. Systemic disease was demonstrated by FDG PET (± CT) in 15 of 16 (94%) patients and 11 of 16 (69%) patients with CT. FDG PET found orbital disease in 27 of 34 patients (79%) versus 33 of 34 patients with orbital CT (97%). Four of 16 patients in which FDG-PET detected systemic disease where CT did not were upstaged and their management changed significantly in 5 cases.

CONCLUSIONS

This study reaffirms FDG PET as an important part of initial staging. Our study suggests FDG PET detects systemic disease more reliably than CT alone and results in significant changes in management. Our findings suggest FDG PET detection for local OALD is less sensitive than CT. MRI is helpful in augmenting other imaging modalities in further identifying disease. Given the prevalence of simultaneous systemic presentations of OALD, FDG PET in this regard is especially important and highlights the need for coordinated multidisciplinary care.