Comprehensive analysis of the influence of G-CSF on the biodistribution of ¹⁸F-FDG in lymphoma patients: insights for PET/CT scheduling

(1) To perform a comprehensive analysis of the time elapsed between the last G-CSF injection and the PET/CT examination on the biodistribution of ¹⁸F-FDG, with emphasis on liver, spleen, and bone marrow uptake, and (2) to investigate whether an inversion of the liver to spleen ratio affects the Deauville scoring.

Retrospectively included were 74 consecutive diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) patients referred for baseline and interim examinations and receiving immunochemotherapy with various G-CSF regimens. A comprehensive evaluation considering baseline metabolic active tumour volume (MATV), factors affecting liver uptake, the type of G-CSF, and the time elapsed between chemotherapy/G-CSF and interim PET/CTs was performed.

Mean (± SD) percentage variations between baseline and interim PET/CTs (i-PET/CT) for bone marrow (%Variation__BONE), liver (%Variation__LIVER) and spleen (%Variation__SPLEEN) were equal to 32.0 ± 46.9%, 16.1 ± 42.8%, and 10.6 ± 51.1 %, respectively. %Variation__LIVER and %Variation__SPLEEN were higher in patients using lenograstim, but this was linked to lower uptakes at baseline and was therefore likely not due to G-CSF itself. The mean delay between G-CSF injection and i-PET/CT acquisition was not an independent explanatory variable for %Variation__BONE, %Variation__LIVER, and %Variation__SPLEEN. On the contrary, %Variation__BONE and %Variation__SPLEEN were negatively correlated to the time-lapse between the end of chemotherapy and i-PET/CT: ρ = − 0.342 (p = 0.010) and ρ = − 0.529 (p < 0.0001), respectively. Patients with a time-lapse since the last injection of chemotherapy < 17 days displayed higher bone and spleen SUVmax_EARL. %Variation__LIVER was positively correlated to baseline MATV: ρ = 0.243 (p = 0.039). Patients displaying a high baseline MATV ≥ 177 cc had significantly lower liver SUVmax_EARL at baseline. This difference was no longer observed at i-PET/CT, after tumours had shrunk.

Neither the type of G-CSF used nor the time elapsed between its last injection and i-PET/CT examination independently influences bone, hepatic, or splenic uptakes at i-PET/CT. The major determinant for the occurrence of a bone or spleen hypermetabolism on i-PET/CT is the time elapsed between the chemotherapy and the examination, which should be maintained above 15 days. Inversion of the liver to spleen ratio appeared to be due to increased spleen hypermetabolism on i-PET/CT, making unlikely an impact on the Deauville scoring.