18F-FDG PET/CT imaging in the diagnosis of drug-induced lung disease and pulmonary infection in lymphoma.

OBJECTIVE: Lymphoma is a hematological disease with high prevalence. Multi-cycle chemotherapy (CHT) or local radiotherapy is applied usually; however, adverse events have been reported, such as drug-induced lung disease (DILD). Positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) is often used to evaluate the lesion, treatment effect, and prognosis of lymphoma. We investigated DILD and pulmonary infection (PI) after multi-cycle CHT in lymphoma patients, to identify DILD and PI, provide guidance for later treatment for them.

METHODS: In all, 677 patients diagnosed with lymphoma and who underwent CHT were included. These patients underwent 18fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) PET/CT before and after CHT at Shandong Cancer Hospital (affiliated with Shandong University) between April 2015 and November 2019. Fifty patients developed DILD, 41 patients had lung infections; lesion characteristics were analyzed based on clinical characteristics, laboratory examinations, and PET/CT imaging.

RESULTS: Among the 677 lymphoma patients, there were 50 cases of DILD, with an incidence rate of 7.4%. PET/CT showed an elevated 18fluorodeoxyglucose uptake lung background, septal thickening and reticulation, multiple ground glass-like shadows, and grid-shaped blur shadows, which were more common in the lung periphery and under the pleura. The maximum standardized uptake value in the lung was 2.45 ± 0.52. Pulmonary infections occurred in 41 patients, and the maximum standardized uptake value was 4.05 ± 1.42. Age, sex, CHT cycle, Ann-Arbor stage, and lymphocyte levels were not significantly different between DILD and PI patients. Leukocyte and neutrophils showed significant differences; the PI patients had increased laboratory indexes of leukocyte and neutrophils. The mean number of CHT cycles was 4 cycles for DILD and PI.

CONCLUSIONS: PET/CT imaging has high sensitivity and detection rates for primary and metastatic lymphoma lesions. DILD mostly occurs in the middle and late stages of CHT. Laboratory tests and PET/CT can evaluate the lesions and treatment effects, and provide guidance for subsequent treatment plans for patients.