Lymph node staging in non-small-cell lung cancer with FDG-PET scan: a prospective study on 690 lymph node stations from 68 patients.

Abstract

PET + CT is significantly more accurate than CT alone in LN staging of NSCLC. A five-point visual scale is as accurate as the use of an SUV threshold for LNs in the distinction between benign and malignant nodes. The very high negative predictive value of mediastinal PET could reduce the need for mediastinal ISS in NSCLC substantially.