Imaging in staging of malignant lymphoma: a systematic review

Computed tomography (CT) is currently the most commonly used means for staging malignant lymphoma. 18F-fluoro-2-deoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET), FDG-PET/CT fusion, and whole-body magnetic resonance imaging (WB-MRI) are potential alternatives. The purpose of this study was to systematically review published data on the diagnostic performance of CT, FDG-PET, FDG-PET/CT fusion, and WB-MRI in staging of malignant lymphoma. In addition, technical aspects, procedures, advantages, and drawbacks of each imaging modality are outlined. Three CT studies, 17 FDG-PET studies, and 4 FDG-PET/CT fusion studies were included in this systematic review. The studies were of moderate methodological quality and used different scoring systems to stage malignant lymphoma. CT remains the standard imaging modality for initial staging of malignant lymphoma, while FDG-PET has an essential role in restaging after treatment. Early results suggest that FDG-PET/CT fusion outperforms both CT alone and FDG-PET alone. Data on the diagnostic performance of WB-MRI are lacking. Future well-designed studies, expressing their results according to the Ann Arbor staging system, are needed to determine which imaging modality is most accurate and cost-effective in staging malignant lymphoma.