18 Fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography/computed tomography features of suspected solitary pulmonary lesions in breast cancer patients following previous curative treatment.

BACKGROUND: Differentiating pulmonary metastasis from primary lung cancer can be challenging in patients with breast malignancy. This study aimed to characterize the imaging features of 18 fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography/computed tomography (18 F-FDG-PET/CT) for distinguishing between these diseases.

METHODS: We enrolled 52 patients who received curative treatment for breast cancer but later presented with suspected solitary pulmonary lesions (SPLs) and subsequently underwent 18 F-FDG-PET/CT to investigate.

RESULTS: Subsolid lesions, ill-defined borders, lung lesions with negative maximum standardized uptake value, and lesions without 18 F-FDG-PET/CT-diagnosed hilar and/or mediastinal lymph nodes and pleural metastases were more likely to be associated with primary lung cancer.

CONCLUSIONS: CT border, FDG uptake, hilar and/or mediastinal lymph node metastasis, and pleural metastasis are potential markers for diagnosis.