# The value of 18F-FDG PET/CT combined with 3D quantitative technology and clinicopathological features in predicting prognosis of NSCLC

## TL;DR

This study shows that combining PET/CT scans with 3D imaging and patient data helps predict lung cancer outcomes, with age, tumor metabolism, and lymph node spread being key factors.

## Contribution

The study identifies age, SUVindex, and lymph node metastasis as independent predictors of progression-free survival in NSCLC using PET/CT and 3D quantitative analysis.

## Key findings

- Age, SUVindex, and lymph node metastasis were independent prognostic factors for progression-free survival.
- 18F-FDG PET/CT combined with 3D quantitative technology showed value in predicting NSCLC prognosis.
- Metabolic tumor volume and other parameters were significantly related to recurrence in univariate analysis.

## Abstract

To investigate the value of Fluorine-18 Fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) Positron Emission Tomography/Computed Tomography (PET/CT) combined with 3D quantitative technology and clinicopathological features in predicting the prognosis of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

A retrospective review was performed for patients who underwent PET/CT and curative resection of NSCLC between January 2016 and June 2019 in our hospital. PET/CT data, clinical features, and pathology results were collected. Gross tumor volume (GTV) was delineated on CT images by ITK-SNAP software. The prognosis was followed up, and the study endpoint was progression-free survival (PFS). Receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) was used to initially assess the relationship between each parameter and PFS, and parameters were grouped accordingly. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to develop models based on clinicopathological features to predict prognosis of NSCLC patients. Kaplan–Meier method was used to draw the survival curves.

A total of 128 patients were enrolled in the study with PFS of 8–96 months. Univariate analysis demonstrated that age, SUVindex (the ratio of SUVmax of lesion to SUVmax of liver), metabolic tumor volume (MTV), Dmax (the largest diameter), GTV, lymph node metastasis (LNM), and TNM staging are significantly related to recurrence (all p<0.05). The multivariate analysis showed that only age, SUVindex, and LNM were independent prognostic factor for PFS (all p < 0.05).

Although 18F-FDG PET/CT combined with 3D quantitative technique were helpful in predicting PFS in NSCLC, only age, SUVindex, and LNM were independent predictors for PFS.