2022 World Conference on Lung Cancer (ePosters)-EP13.01-001. The Burden of Incidental Extra-thoracic Positron Emission Tomography-CT (PET-CT) Findings in Thoracic Malignancies

EP13.01-001. The Burden of Incidental Extra-thoracic Positron Emission Tomography-CT (PET-CT) Findings in Thoracic Malignancies

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A retrospective analysis conducted at Glenfield Hospital in Leicester investigated the incidence and significance of incidental extra-thoracic findings in patients undergoing PET-CT scans for suspected lung cancer. The study covered the period from February 2019 to October 2021 and included 4,229 patients referred to the local Lung MDT. Of these, 851 patients underwent PET-CT scans as part of their assessment, and incidental extra-thoracic findings were identified in 202 patients. <br /><br />The most common extra-thoracic sites for these findings were the bowel, head and neck (including the thyroid), and prostate. Further investigation was performed in 158 patients, with 31% being diagnosed as malignant, 62.7% as benign, and 10 cases remaining indeterminate. <br /><br />The study found that PET-CT scans identified suspicious extra-thoracic findings in almost one-fifth of patients, with 21% being primary malignancies. Findings in the renal tract, upper-GI tract, and bones were more likely to be malignant, while findings in the peritoneum, non-renal/urological sites, and breast were more likely to be benign. The findings highlight the importance of conducting further investigations for these incidental findings. <br /><br />These results are significant in the context of NICE recommendations for the use of PET-CT scans to improve diagnostic and stage accuracy in assessing patients with lung cancer. The study emphasizes the need for clinicians to be aware of the potential for incidental findings and to conduct appropriate follow-up investigations. The findings also contribute to our understanding of the distribution and likelihood of malignancy of these incidental extra-thoracic findings in patients with thoracic malignancies.

Asset Subtitle

Dana Li

Meta Tag

Speaker Dana Li

Topic Pulmonology, Radiology, and Staging

Keywords

retrospective analysis

Glenfield Hospital

incidental extra-thoracic findings

PET-CT scans

lung cancer

malignant

benign

primary malignancies

NICE recommendations

follow-up investigations