Clinical Utility of PET CT in Lymphoma

OBJECTIVE. The purpose of this review is to assist interpreting radiologists in becoming familiar with the role of PET CT in baseline staging and therapeutic response assessment in the management of lymphoma, in becoming aware of imaging pitfalls, and in understanding the natural behavior of lymphoma and the therapeutic options.CONCLUSION. Therapeutic strategies for the management of lymphoma are constantly being refined to improve long-term survival with the lowest risk of toxicity to the patient. PET CT is accurate for baseline staging and yields important prognostic information for determining the most appropriate initial treatment. Used for evaluation of treatment response, PET CT can depict residual viable malignant lesions with greater accuracy than can other imaging techniques. The findings thereby influence decisions about the need for additional or alternative treatment.