Use of 18F-FDG-PET/CT for Retroperitoneal/Intra-Abdominal Soft Tissue Sarcomas

RATIONALE: To assess the diagnostic value of 18F-FDG-PET/CT for different retroperitoneal soft tissue sarcomas (STS) and other similar tumors. To analyze the predictive value of 18F-FDG-PET/CT for histological grade and main prognostic factors. METHODS: 195 patients with 44 different diseases have been included. Relationship between SUVmax, Clinical, pathological, and prognostic information has been analyzed. RESULTS: Malignant tumors do not show higher SUVmax than benign ones (P=0.443). We divided all 44 different diseases into two groups; SUVmax of group 1 is significantly higher than group 2 (P ≤ 0.001). The ROC curve suggests 4.35 is the cutoff value to distinguish groups 1 and 2 (sensitivity = 0.789; specificity = 0.736). SUVmax correlates with Ki-67 index, mitotic count, vascular resection, histological grade, and recurrent STS without considering pathological diagnosis (P=0.001, P=0.012, P=0.002, P ≤ 0.001, and P=0.037, resp.). CONCLUSION: 18F-FDG-PET/CT cannot simply distinguish malignant and benign tumors in retroperitoneal/intra-abdominal cavity; however, the SUVmax of malignant tumors, inflammatory pseudotumor, and PPGL group is higher than the SUVmax of benign tumors, lymph node metastasis, hematoma, and low malignant STS group. Guidance of “SUVmax location” may be helpful for biopsy and pathology dissection.