Purpose

The negative predictive value (NPV) of an end-of-treatment [18]FDG-PET scan showing complete metabolic response (CMR) using Deauville criteria is around 85% for patients with diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) receiving standard first-line treatment. The positive predictive value (PPV) is suboptimal at around 40-60%.  The aim of this project is to establish to what extent the low PPV relates to operational characteristics of the applied criteria and to determine how to optimise and/or develop visual and/or semi-quantitative criteria to improve the PPV without affecting the high NPV. This research has recently been initiated with several partners within the PETRA consortium and financially supported by the Jackstädt Stiftung.

Overall aim:

To relate EoT findings with survival metrics. The secondary aim is to use EoT PET to decide on subsequent treatments or alternative treatments.

Objectives

  • To define visual interpretation criteria and standardized reporting of findings

  • To determine optimal [18]FDG-PET tumour delineation methods and workflows

  • To define optimal cut-off thresholds for 2 years TTP/PFS for several semi-quantitative FDG uptake metrics