The role of FDG-PET/CT in detecting unsuspected and unknown distant metastasis in the initial staging of NSCLC

Abstract

Background/aim: Our purpose in this retrospective study was to determine the ratio of unexpected [metastases within the coverage area of thorax computed tomography (CT)] and unknown (metastases out of the coverage area of thorax CT) metastases by positron emission tomography/CT (PET/CT) in patients with newly diagnosed non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who had no defined metastatic lesion, and to investigate the contribution of fludeoxyglucose (FDG)-PET/CT in metastasis staging.