FDG-PET/CT in the Monitoring of Lymphoma Immunotherapy Response: Current Status and Future Prospects

SIMPLE SUMMARY: Cancer immunotherapy is a type of cancer treatment that uses the immune system to fight cancer cells. Some of these treatments stimulate the immune system, while others prime the immune system to identify better and target cancer cells. In parallel with the implementation of cancer immunotherapy, therapy-specific FDG PET/CT response criteria were explicitly designed specifically for that purpose. The goal of this review article is to discuss the effects and side effects of cancer immunotherapy and to correlate this with the proposed criteria and relevant patterns of FDG PET/CT in lymphoma immunotherapy as applicable. Additionally, the latest updates and future prospects will be explored. ABSTRACT: Cancer immunotherapy has been extensively investigated in lymphoma over the last three decades. This new treatment modality is now established as a way to manage and maintain several stages and subtypes of lymphoma. The establishment of this novel therapy has necessitated the development of new imaging response criteria to evaluate and follow up with cancer patients. Several FDG PET/CT-based response criteria have emerged to address and encompass the various most commonly observed response patterns. Many of the proposed response criteria are currently being used to evaluate and predict responses. The purpose of this review is to address the efficacy and side effects of cancer immunotherapy and to correlate this with the proposed criteria and relevant patterns of FDG PET/CT in lymphoma immunotherapy as applicable. The latest updates and future prospects in lymphoma immunotherapy, as well as PET/CT potentials, will be discussed.