(18)F‐FDG PET/CT imaging: A supplementary understanding of pulmonary sclerosing pneumocytoma

BACKGROUND: We sought to investigate the clinical features and (18)F‐FDG PET/CT characteristics of pulmonary sclerosing pneumocytoma (PSP). METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed and comparatively analyzed (18)F‐FDG PET/CT imaging results of 22 patients with diagnosed PSP in our hospital from November 2009 to September 2015. RESULTS: The SUV(max) in tumors was positively correlated with tumor size in typical PSPs (R = 0.806, R(2) = 0.650, P = 0.001); however, the SUV(max) in tumors had no significant correlation with tumor size of atypical PSPs (R = 0.479, R(2) = 0.229, P = 0.162), and the degree of correlation between them attenuated when atypical PSPs were included (R = 0.518, R(2) = 0.268, P = 0.011). A majority (90%) of atypical PSPs were found in males. Symptomatic patients showed a higher SUV(max) than the asymptomatic group (5.68 ± 3.63 vs. 2.76 ± 1.18, respectively, P = 0.002). CONCLUSION: Tumor size and clinical features may be associated with increased FDG uptake in PSPs. Morphological differences may affect the correlation between tumor size and SUV(max) in PSPs. The atypical form of PSP may be more common in men.