Correlations between the Maximum Standard Uptake Value of Positron Emission Tomography/Computed Tomography and Laboratory Parameters before and after Treatment in Patients with Lymphoma

BACKGROUND: After the first examination of patients with lymphoma diagnosis, important laboratory tests such as complete blood count; albumin, kidney and liver function tests; uric acid; β2-microglobulin; C-reactive protein (CRP); erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR); and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) examinations are recommended. In this study, our aim was to find the relationship between laboratory parameters and the maximum standard uptake value (SUV(max)) of positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) in patients with lymphoma at the diagnosis and after treatment. METHODS: Thirty-four lymphoma patients treated at Mustafa Kemal University Internal Medicine Clinic between 2014 and 2017 were included in this retrospective study. Results of CRP, ESR, LDH, albumin, and white blood cell (WBC) count were recorded before each PET scan test, and each parameter was analyzed for correlation with SUV(max) measurements. RESULTS: Spearman's correlation test showed that the after-treatment SUV(max) values were significantly correlated with the after-treatment LDH, ESR, and CRP values (for LDH, ESR, and CRP, R(2): 0.453, 0.426, and 0.351; P = 0.007, 0.012, and 0.042, respectively). On the other hand, albumin and WBC count did not show a significant correlation with the after-treatment SUV(max) values (all P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: CRP, ESR, and LDH values may also be good predictors in patients for whom PET/CT imaging cannot be performed.