18 Fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography/computed tomography features of suspected solitary pulmonary lesions in breast cancer patients following previous curative treatment.

BACKGROUND

Differentiating pulmonary metastasis from primary lung cancer can be challenging in patients with breast malignancy. This study aimed to characterize the imaging features of 18 fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography/computed tomography (18 F-FDG-PET/CT) for distinguishing between these diseases.

METHODS

We enrolled 52 patients who received curative treatment for breast cancer but later presented with suspected solitary pulmonary lesions (SPLs) and subsequently underwent 18 F-FDG-PET/CT to investigate.

RESULTS

Subsolid lesions, ill-defined borders, lung lesions with negative maximum standardized uptake value, and lesions without 18 F-FDG-PET/CT-diagnosed hilar and/or mediastinal lymph nodes and pleural metastases were more likely to be associated with primary lung cancer.

CONCLUSIONS

CT border, FDG uptake, hilar and/or mediastinal lymph node metastasis, and pleural metastasis are potential markers for diagnosis.