To investigate the predictive value of pretreatment
18
F-fluorodeoxyglucose (
18
F-FDG) positron emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT) for treatment response and survival outcomes in gastric mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma patients.
Methods:
F
orty-two patients with newly diagnosed gastric MALT lymphoma were retrospectively analyzed in this study. Each patient underwent
18
F-FDG PET/CT scans before treatment.
18
F-FDG PET/CT results were analyzed using qualitative and semi-quantitative assessment methods: visual assessment and maximal standardized uptake value (SUV
max
). Progression-free survival (PFS) was used as endpoints to evaluate prognosis.
Results:
Patients were followed for 13 to 80 months with a mean of (38.916.5) months. PET positivity and high SUV
max
were significantly associated with inferior PFS. Multivariate analysis showed that SUV
max
was the only independent predictor of PFS (HR=11.283
P
=0.022). SUV
max
could also independently predict the treatment response (OR=8.750
P
=0.005).
Conclusion:
Pretreatment
18
F-FDG PET/CT can predict treatment response and survival outcomes in gastric MALT lymphoma patients.