[Comparison between PET(-FDG) and computed tomography in the staging of lung cancer. Consequences for operability in 94 patients]. / Comparaison entre TEP(-FDG) et scanner dans le bilan d'extension du cancer bronchopulmonaire, conséquences pour l'opérabilité chez 94 patients.

INTRODUCTION: Lung cancer, a major application of FDG/PET-CT, has recently been introduced in daily practice in France. The authors retrospectively studied its impact on the management of this disease. METHODS: The results of PET-CT and conventional assessment (brain imaging, chest and abdominal CT and possibly bone scintigraphy) were compared in 94 patients, referred for the staging of non-small cell lung cancer, or the assessment of a solitary lung lesion. The impact of thoracic lymph node involvement on the operability of patients was studied in 44 patients. RESULTS: PET-CT revealed metastases in 20% of the patients without metastases found by conventional imaging and modified the stage of the disease in 28% of the cases. It changed the indication of surgical treatment in 19% of the cases and led to induction chemotherapy in two patients. In addition, two synchronous cancers were discovered. Regarding lymph node involvement, PET-CT remains of diagnostic value regardless of the scanner results. CONCLUSION: The impact of PET-CT in assessing non-small cell lung cancer was confirmed in the authors' practice. Its interest and the consequences in some patients misclassified with conventional assessment have been demonstrated.