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. FDG PET/CT plays a key role in the newly developed response criteria, and several FDG PET/CT-based criteria have been proposed to address all patterns of response to therapy, including indeterminate response, pseudoprogression, and hyperprogression using several metrics, such as SUV, MTV, and TLG. This research aims 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.
Cancer immunotherapy has been extensively investigated in lymphoma. 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.
Drug Name | Class | Main Action | Treatment Protocol | Approved for |
---|---|---|---|---|
Rituximab | mAb 1 | CD-20 Antibody | With chemotherapy | First line for NHL 2 |
Brentuximab Vedotin | mAb 1 | CD-30 Antibody | With chemotherapy | Advanced HL 3 |
Nivolumab | ICI 4 | PD-1 Blockade | Standalone | cHL 5 |
Pembrolizumab | ICI 4 | PD-1 Blockade | Standalone | Refractory cHL 5 |
Tisagenlecleuce | CAR-T 6 | T-lymphocyte-mediated CD-19 expression | Standalone | Adult R/R DLBCL 7 |
Lisocabtagenel maraleuecel |
CAR-T 6 | T-lymphocyte-mediated CD-19 expression | Standalone | R/R large B-cell lymphoma |
Mosunetuzumab | BiTes 7 | Follicular Lymphoma | Standalone | R/R Follicular Lymphoma |
Deauville 5-Point Scale (5PS) | |
DS *1 | No uptake |
DS2 | Uptake ≤ mediastinum |
DS3 | Uptake > mediastinum but ≤ liver |
DS4 | Uptake moderately higher than liver |
DS5 | Uptake markedly higher than liver and/or new lesions + |
Similarly, FDG PET/CT is of vital importance for outcome prediction and prognostication [109]. The only difference in NHL is that there are certain histologic subtypes that do not optimally express FDG avidity [109]. Indolent NHL fall under the category of variable FDG avid NHL while aggressive NHL usually have moderate to high FDG avidity (Table 3). Therefore, incorporation of FDG PET/CT is most acknowledged in response assessment of aggressive NHL.
Table 3.
Status and degree of FDG avidity in each type and subtype of Lymphoma.
Category |
Subtype of Lymphoma |
FDG Avidity |
Degree of FDG Avidity |
HL 1 |
Classical |
Avid |
High |
Mixed cellularity |
Avid |
Moderate to high |
|
Lymphocyte depletion |
Avid |
Moderate to high |
|
Lymphocyte predominance |
Avid |
Moderate |
|
Aggressive NHL 2 |
Diffuse large B-cell |
Avid |
High |
Burkitt |
Avid |
High |
|
Anaplastic Large cell |
Avid |
High |
|
Mantle Cell |
Avid |
Moderate |
|
Indolent NHL 2 |
Follicular |
Variable |
Low-high |
Lymphoplasmacytic |
Variable |
Low-high |
|
Marginal zone |
Variable |
None-high |
|
Small lymphocytic |
Variable |
None-high |
|
Cutaneous Anaplastic |
Variable |
None-moderate |
1
HL: Hodgkin’s Lymphoma;
2
NHL: Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.
Since the approval of FDG PET/CT by the FDA, a number of studies have been conducted to explore the efficacy of this treatment modality. Haioun et al. were among the first to examine the prognostic and predictive value of early FDG PET/CT imaging [110]. In their study, 41% of all 90 patients received rituximab as part of the therapy protocol [110]. These patients were then followed up to determine the prognostic outcome [110]. It was concluded that patients with negative PET results had much more favorable outcomes, reflected by PFS and OS rates of 82% and 90%, respectively, as compared to 43% and 61% for those with positive PET results [110]. More recently, a group of DLBCL patients treated with R-CHOP and evaluated by FDG PET/CT at the interim stage were prospectively enrolled in a study [111]. The calculated 3-year PFS and OS rates in iPET negative patients achieved statistically significant superiority when compared to positive results [111]. Data from these studies along with others were collected to conduct a meta-analysis [112]. This meta-analysis was interested in examining the predictive role of iPET in DLBCL patients treated with R-CHOP [112]. The overall sensitivity and specificity of iPET were observed to be discouraging, justifying the need for more effort to unify response criteria [113]. Recently, a group of GOYA DLBCL patients were analyzed for data following the first line of immunochemotherapy to determine survival outcome [113]. It was found that EoT PET is an independent predictor of both PFS and OS and a promising prognostic marker for such patients [113]. The results from the previous analysis necessitate a meta-analytic study in the near future to support this evidence. Another GOYA group analysis was carried out to observe PFS rates difference between DLBCL patients receiving R-CHOP vs Obinutuzumab plus CHOP (G-CHOP) [114]. The study was unable to demonstrate any PFS benefit of G-CHOP over R-CHOP in previously untreated patients with DLBCL [114]. As of right now, metabolic PET parameters are being extensively studied in an attempt to outline their prognostic values [115][116][117]. The GOYA group of patients was analyzed using metabolic PET parameters. Tumor MTV was found to be a predictor of therapy failure in these patients. A recent study concerning baseline PET parameters in R-CHOP treated DLBCL patients was conducted [115]. Metabolic PET parameters were used including SUVmax, SUVmean, MTV and TLG [115]. The study suggests that these parameters may have a prognostic value at baseline and interim intervals [115]. In another study, tumor MTV values were found to be the most reliable parameters among all to determine survival outcome [116]. This was recently shown by another study that confirmed the predictive value of baseline and interim MTV on survival outcome [117]. It appears obvious by now that metabolic PET parameters can establish solid background for future response-adapted management approaches in NHL patients.
Unlike HL, the results achieved in the previous literature using ICI in NHL are less encouraging. Despite having high safety profile, ICI failed to achieve optimal efficacy in NHL. The safety and efficacy of nivolumab in DLBCL were assessed in the previous single-arm phase II study by Ansell et al. [118]. The study acknowledged suboptimal ORR despite the highly observed safety profile [118]. On the other hand, Results from clinical trials of ICI combined with other immunochemotherapies appears more promising. Pembrolizumab was explored as a treatment for DLBCL in a study of 30 patients [119]. This study found that the combination of pembrolizumab and R-CHOP resulted in an ORR of 90%, a CR of 77%, and a 2-year PFS of 83% [119]. The findings of this trial indicate that combining the PD-L1 inhibitor atezolizumab with chemotherapy may be a promising treatment option for DLBCL. The combination of atezolizumab and R-CHOP (a type of chemotherapy) resulted in a high efficacy, with an ORR of 87.5% and durable responses in 80% of patients at 24 months [120]. Based on previous research, it appears that combining immunotherapy with chemotherapy is more likely to result in favorable outcomes in terms of response and clinical outcome.
A few studies have examined the value of FDG PET/CT in CAR-T, with mixed results. Shah et al. were among the first to examine MTV in a small group of NHL patients and found that nearly half the patients had non-measurable MTV values at M1 (Table S3) [121]. These patients showed long-term remission over the following 2 years [121]. The other half presented with measurable MTV and witnessed an early relapse [121]. Cohen et al. have approached the issue differently and include both DS and ∆SUVmax for evaluation [122]. It was concluded that SUVmax prior to therapy may help determine treatment eligibility and that DS and ∆SUVmax can help identify treatment failure [122]. Recently, Galtier et al. conducted a multicentric cohort study which highlighted the high predictive values of both the 5 PS and MTV [123]. This was also previously explored by Kuhnl et al., who found that Deauville criteria may predict the risk for CAR-T failure and help direct post-CAR-T management [124]. Breen et al. have conducted more detailed analysis of SUVmax values at M1 and found that higher SUVmax values indicate higher risk for disease progression [125]. SUVmax above 10 at M1 is regarded as a significant prognostic and predictive indicator in patients with stable disease or partial response [125]. This was later confirmed by Al Zaki et al. [126].In NHL, tumor burden was validated through the use of FDG PET/CT in a retrospective study by Wang et al. [127].In fact, having high tumor burden at baseline was linked to more aggressive cytokine release syndrome [127]. Bailly et al. enrolled a group of R/R NHL patients in order to demonstrate the added value of adequate disease control prior to therapy [128]. Among all 40 patients, 33 cases were adequately managed prior to CAR-T [128]. During TT PET/CT, adequately treated patients showed more favorable outcomes in terms of event free survival when compared to others [128]. Moreover, 5 of the remainder 7 patients have witnessed early disease relapse [128]. Therefore, adequate control prior to CAR-T was linked to more favorable response in such cases. Despite the encouraging outcomes of previous studies, more research is needed with larger cohorts to get a complete picture.
Follicular lymphoma (FL) is one of the most common types of lymphoma, representing 22% of adult non-Hodgkin’s lymphomas (NHL) worldwide [129]. The disease can present with a variable clinical course, usually indolent and slow growing, while in other cases the disease may become aggressive, often characterized by histological transformation into a high-grade lymphoma (25–60%) and early death [130]. FL belongs to a group of neoplasms usually presenting with a variable FDG avidity. Therefore, permitting an overall good diagnostic accuracy using FDG PET/CT, up to 98% [131]. Although the outlook for patients with FL has improved in recent years, with a median survival that can exceed 20 years, FL is still considered incurable [132]. The main goal of treatment is usually disease control and extending patients' life expectancy [133].
In FL, the combination of rituximab and chemotherapy has been shown to improve outcomes for patients with FL. However, 20% of patients treated with this immunochemotherapy still experience disease progression within a short time frame, and 50% of them will witness death within 5 years [134]. FDG PET/CT have quickly replaced CI through the use of metabolic PET parameters. Providing more reliable indices for therapy response and outcome. In result, staging, therapy response and surveillance became more accurate. In 2011, a study by Trotman et al. was the first to provide large-scale evidence that EoT PET/CT after Immunochemotherapy treatment is a strong and independent predictor of PFS in FL [135]. This study included 160 patients from the prospective Primary Rituximab and Maintenance (PRIMA) study group [135]. Disease progression and death was significantly higher in PET-positive patients (70.7% at 42 months) compared to PET-negative patients [135]. The study also showed that the predictive value of the FDG PET/CT is independent of the state of the response by CI [135]. In result, FDG PET/CT can function as metabolic biomarker to viable disease process. Dupuis et al. have also examined prognostic role of FDG PET/CT at both interim and EoT periods [136]. This study included a total of 121 FL patients with median follow-up of 23 months. Among all patients, 116 cases have received at least 4 cycles of R-CHOP and had FDG PET/CT for response assessment [136]. iPET negative patients were found to have more favorable PFS, both at interim and EoT periods [136]. The 2-year PFS rates were 87% for EoT PET-negative patients compared to 51% for EoT PET positive patients (P .001). At interim period, 2-year PFS was 86% for iPET-negative patients compared to 61% for iPET-positive patients, respectively (P =.0046). Final PET results revealed a significant difference in two-year overall survival as well: 100% versus 88% (P =.0128) [136]. The results of the previous two studies were explore that vital aspect utilizing FDG PET/CT for response. A retrospective analysis of FOLL05 trial group was carried out by Luminari et al. [137]. The study found that patients who had negative PET scans at EoT had significantly 3-year PFS rates [137]. This suggests that PET scans can be useful in assessing response to treatment in patients with FL[137].
To more accurately understand the relationship between FDG PET/CT and survival analysis, Trotman et al. have carried out recent multicentric study [138]. The study was a product of a joint analysis from three prospective studies (PRIMA, PET-FOLLICULAIRE, and FOLL05) [138]. All patient presented with a high tumor burden and were treated with first-line immunochemotherapy [138]. The study found that the EoT PET predicted both PFS and OS [138]. A negative EoT PET was associated with a significantly higher PFS and OS at four years than a positive one [138]. This suggests that the FDG PET/CT at the EoT predicts survival, so a negative study may be a good prognostic indicator for FL patients with high tumor burden. In 2018, a study assessed the prognostic value of EoT PET on a much larger scale, using data from the prospective GALLIUM study [139]. The study compared FDG PET/CT with contrast enhanced CT (CeCT) to determine which one is better for assessing therapy response [139]. Out of all 1202 patients who were enrolled in the study previously, only 595 patients had performed both modalities [139]. All patients were given immunochemotherapy as their first line of treatment and were assessed after finishing therapy [139]. It was found that PET was superior to contrast-enhanced CT for response assessment in FL patients at EoT [139]. More recently, FOLL12 prospective, randomized, open-label multicenter phase III trial was conducted [140]. The aim of this study was to compare a 2-year Rituximab maintenance therapy against a response-adapted therapy approach in FL patients [140]. Response adapted therapy protocol was found to be associated with lower PFS at 2-year interval. It is clear from previous evidence that EoT PET scans can provide accurate predictions of both PFS and OS [140].
The recent approval of axicabtagene ciloleucel for r/r FL was granted after observed results from ZUMA-5 study, which demonstrated an 80% CRR and a 12-month durable response rate of 72% [141]. This offers an effective treatment option for patients who develop refractory disease [142]. A few studies have examined the role of FDG PET/CT in CAR-T for FL patients [136][137][138][139]. These were already mentioned in DLBCL section (CAR-T subheading) as previous studies have pooled aggressive NHL patients together regardless of subtype.
More recently, the drug Mosunetuzumab has been approved for the treatment of r/r FL. A recent multicentric phase 2 study has confirmed the efficacy and safety profile of Mosunetuzumab [142]. This is the first in-class approval of a bispecific antibody targeting CD20 and CD3. The activity in FL patients is excellent, with an ORR of approximately 80% and a CR of approximately 60% [142]. However, more studies and research are needed to determine the predictive and prognostic role of FDG PET/CT. Additionally, trials are still ongoing to examine other drugs of the same class.
Immunotherapy for lymphoma has had great success, but unfortunately, this comes with the consequences of increased Immunotherapy related toxicities. Most of these toxicities are not life-threatening and can be managed if properly diagnosed. Immune-related toxicities observed with FDG PET/CT imaging (Figure 8) will be discussed below.
Figure 8. Clinical examples of Immunotherapy-Related Adverse Effects observed during FDG PET/CT imaging in lymphoma patients receiving immunotherapy.
It is interesting to note that the majority of these side effects are seen in the early stages of therapy. Most frequently, this pattern denotes immune system stimulation. Therefore, there is a high likelihood that these side effects might indicate a positive response to therapy.
Immunotherapy related inflammation can affect any part of the body, as was seen in the ORIENT-1 trial. The purpose of this trial was to investigate the side effects of the anti-PD1 ICI therapy called Sintilimab. Immunotherapy-related adverse events were primarily inflammatory in nature. The most common type of inflammatory event was enterocolitis-related gastrointestinal inflammation, followed by pulmonary involvement and hepatitis [143]. However, there have been no reports of ICI-related fatalities or significant morbidities in this trial, making it unjustifiable to discontinue therapy [143]. Another study concerning ICI adverse events, conducted by Bajwa et al., found that the most commonly reported adverse effects were colitis, hepatitis, and myocarditis [144]. In a study conducted by Petersen et al., FDG PET/CT scans were used to evaluate outcomes and detect related toxicities in patients receiving R-CHOP therapy [145]. It was found that diffuse 18F-FDG uptake in the thyroid can indicate autoimmune thyroiditis and is linked to favorable outcomes [145]. Additionally, another study reported that patients who experience imaging signs of at least one Immunotherapy related adverse event (most commonly colitis or arthritis) through PET/CT are more likely to have more favorable PFS than those who do not have any immunotherapy related adverse events [146]. Therefore, it is advisable to document in the PET/CT report any and all side effects encountered during immunotherapy, even if they are not clinically relevant [147]. In some cases, the results of a FDG PET/CT scan can be misinterpreted, leading to over-diagnosis or uncertainty about the disease process. To avoid this, it is advantageous to concentrate on follow-up and clinical context.
One potential indicator of immune system activity in the 18F-FDG PET/CT method of metabolic imaging is the inversion of the liver-to-spleen ratio (normally > 1) [148]. This may suggest immune activation prior to T cell proliferation, as well as reactive nodes in the primary tumor's drainage basin [149]. This could potentially lead to misinterpretation during assessment. Diffuse reactive splenomegaly and bone marrow activity can occur following treatment with immunotherapy as well as chemotherapy [150]. Usually, these findings do not result in serious consequences but it must be reported and monitored to ensure resolution after therapy discontinuation [152]. Sarcoid-like reactive patterns have also been reported following ICI [152]. FDG-avid bilateral symmetrical hilar and mediastinal lymphadenopathy can occur with or without clinical manifestation [151]. Such patients are usually kept on follow-up to exclude metastatic processes.
In the last decade, TFR has been observed as a part of immunotherapy-related adverse effects in lymphoma [153][154][155]. TFR is a clinical syndrome characterized primarily by diffuse FDG-avid generalized lymphadenopathy and splenomegaly, along with other clinical manifestations. It bears a striking resemblance to hyperprogression. The only observed difference between hyperprogression and TFR in lymphoma is the underlying cause. TFR is an immune-mediated process, not a disease progression. This difference can be suspected through FDG PET/CT and confirmed by biopsy. In fact, TFR is more of a clinical manifestation of the pseudoprogression pattern that is sometimes seen during the initial therapy response. Therefore, its incidence should not be used as a reason to discontinue treatment. A case of false-positive FDG PET/CT was reported by Skoura et al. after rituximab therapy [156]. The patient was finally diagnosed with TFR [156]. A PET/CT examination of the patient showed increased metabolic activity of enlarged lymph nodes after R-CHOP treatment and allogeneic transplantation [156]. However, a biopsy of the lymph node revealed extensive reactive T cell infiltration, with no signs of lymphoma cells [156]. Re-examination of PET/CT scans showed no obvious enlargement or increased metabolic activity of lymph nodes after 3 months [156]. More recently, another case report was published describing the clinical and pathological manifestations of TFR [157]. The patient's TFR was evident after 4 cycles of ICI NHL treatment, as FDG PET/CT showed enlarged and progressing lymphadenopathy above the diaphragm [157]. This was accompanied by other clinical manifestations such as fever, skin rash, joint pain, and poor appetite [157]. After further investigation, TFR was suspected [157]. A left axillary lymph node biopsy was done, ruling out lymphomatous involvement [157]. The patient's clinical condition improved after the glucocorticoid intake therapy was continued, and the follow-up FDG PET/CT was negative thereafter [157].
CAR-T cell therapy has been found to cause more immediate and severe side effects than monoclonal antibodies. In order to ensure the best possible outcomes, it is essential to investigate, study, and document these side effects.
CRS is the most common side effect of CAR-T therapy. This syndrome may start on the first day after the therapy transfusion and last up to 9 days. Although FDG PET/CT does not have a direct role in diagnosing CRS, research has indicated that metrics derived from PET can predict the occurrence of CRS. Studies investigating CAR-T for R/R NHL have shown that the tumor burden is strongly correlated with the severity of CRS [158][159][160]. Additionally, recent research has shown that a high tumor burden, as reflected by SUV average (SUVAvg), MTV, and TLG, is a significant risk factor for developing any grade of CRS [127][161][162].
The clinical manifestations of ICANS include encephalopathy, delirium, and altered mental status [163][164]. Unlike CRS, the role of FDG PET/CT in ICANS is more widely acknowledged. Brain FDG PET/CT can help exclude differential diagnoses of these cases. In previous studies, neurological deficits associated with ICANS have been observed using brain FDG PET/CT. These deficits typically manifest as areas of reduced metabolism on Brain FDG PET/CT scans. This was demonstrated by Rubin et al., who found that these deficits were associated with CAR-T cell toxicity up to two months after transfusion [165]. In a cohort of six patients, five showed EEG abnormalities that corresponded to hypometabolic areas on PET/CT scans [165]. More recently, Paccagnella et al. described a case of ICANS in a male patient who developed symptoms four days after CAR-T infusion [166]. FDG PET/CT of the brain showed global hypometabolism, particularly in the left hemisphere and frontal regions [166]. Clinical manifestations such as ideo-motor slowing, nominal aphasia, and myoclonic tremor were associated with this condition. However, despite the diffuse slowing seen on EEG, the MRI showed no pathological involvement [166]. After intravenous steroid administration, the patient in the study responded completely [166]. The findings of the current study are consistent with those of a recent case report by Vernier et al. on a patient with DLCBL [167]. PET/CT brain scans performed before and after treatment showed bilateral and diffuse hypometabolism in the parietal and temporal cortex, with no abnormal findings on MRI [167]. These findings suggest that PET/CT is a more sensitive tool than MRI for detecting CAR-T cell-related neurotoxicity.
Many challenges in the field of lymphoma immunotherapy have been overcome through the creation of optimal future plans. This led to the creation of new therapy-specific PET criteria, as well as the exploration of PET-derived metrics for therapy response and outcome prediction.
The lack of access to optimal cancer diagnostic services is a major problem in many parts of the world, especially in conflict-affected areas and low-income countries [168]. This can lead to sub-optimal care and a lack of uniformity in cancer diagnosis and treatment [168][169]. Establishing international recovery programs is necessary to overcome these difficulties.
Since the FDA approval of ICI and CAR-T therapies, many barriers and considerations have arisen in regards to their widespread use [170]. While some countries are progressing with these therapies, their implementation remains uneven among different nations. To date, many countries are incapable of providing this novel therapies due to lack of financial support, unavailability or financial instability [171]. This is especially apparent in low-income countries and conflict regions [168]. Under these circumstances, medical specialists must carefully select cost-effective treatments for patients and engage them in decision-making to ensure they understand the potential financial consequences of their options.
To date, most institutions rely on semi-quantitative PET parameters through the use of SUVmax values [172]. This is because to SUVmax familiarity among interpreter physicians, validity in medical literature, and appropriate operator reproducibility. However, SUVmax is sensitive to image noise and motion, and its value is dependent on image quality [173]. It should be noted that PET-CT scanners with high spatial resolution tend to produce images with high SUVmax values [173]. Therefore, direct comparison between images produced by different scanners may not be possible [173]. Another factor to consider when interpreting SUV values is that they can be affected by blood glucose levels and uptake time (i.e., the time interval between injection and scanning) [174][175]. On the other hand, volumetric parameters such as MTV and TLG have several advantages over SUV, including being less noise-sensitive. Earlier studies have found that using a variety of PET parameters, including both volumetric and semiquantitative parameters, is an efficient strategy. MTV and TLG have been found to be connected with a higher risk of several different types of cancer [176][177][178][179][180]. Additionally, previous studies found evidence that volumetric indices can be used to predict prognosis [92][104][116][117][121][123][127][161][162]. However, some institutions lack access to these parameters due to limitations in software and experiences [181]. Another issue is the lack of consensus in determining the tumor boundary, which is necessary for reproducibility [173]. Nonetheless, implementing these parameters in future practices can provide additional usefulness once the current barriers are overcome.
Tumor response criteria have been modified over the years to accommodate the recent advancements in lymphoma therapy. Different patterns of response to immunotherapy in lymphoma patients as seen on PET/CT scans necessitated the development of new, therapy-specific criteria [62][65]. However, not all institutions have adopted these new criteria. Many instead are still relying on the Lugano criteria which does not take into account pseudoprogression [182]. There is therefore a need to focus on harmonizing response assessment in order to optimize response evaluation.
The current focus in lymphoma treatment is on providing targeted therapy using theranostics. The CXC chemokine receptor 4 (CXCR4) is a promising cancer treatment target. This transmembrane receptor is involved in hematopoietic stem cell migration and homing to the bone marrow [183]. Multiple studies have demonstrated the imaging and targeting capabilities of 68Ga-Pentixafor for CXCR4-expressing lymphomas [184][185]. Fibroblast activation protein inhibitor (FAPI) is currently being studied for its potential use as both a diagnostic and therapeutic tool in lymphoma. Preliminary results are encouraging in terms of safety and efficacy [186]. FAP is overexpressed by cancer-associated fibroblasts present in the tumor microenvironment, which leads to high tumor uptake and very low accumulation in normal tissues, achieving excellent results [187]. Incorporation of 18Fluorine and Fludarabine (a chemotherapy drug already used in low-grade lymphomas) was examined in variable and low FDG-avid lymphomas. Studies in animals and humans have demonstrated lower uptake of these drugs in inflammatory cells compared to FDG and a better correlation with histology than the latter [188]. The sensitivity of 18F-Fludarabine for detecting indolent lymphoma lesions has been found to be good, with reports indicating that it could potentially be used to replace FDG PET/CT imaging for such cases [188][189][190][191].
The use of FDG PET/CT for predictive and prognostic purposes in lymphoma has been well established over the past few decades [26][68]. However, many other features of this imaging modality have only recently been explored [26]. Machine learning algorithms can be used to detect and measure overall tumor burden and are currently being examined. Frood et al. investigate the potential benefits of using a radiomic model to indicate 2-year PFS of HL patients [192]. The study found that the model was useful, but that more research is needed to confirm efficacy [192]. Radiomics can be used to minimize time and effort during PET/CT assessment. Radiomic-based segmentation techniques studied by Sollini et al. can serve as a useful tool in clinical practice for assessing involved lesions in HL patients, with an overall accuracy of 82% [193]. This radiomic technique is based on the utilization of lesion similarity analysis when assessing involved lesions in HL patients. These methods have shown to be useful in histological prediction, prognostic evaluation, and the definition of bone marrow involvement [193]. Nonetheless, more clinical research is necessary to determine the efficacy of these AI algorithms [26].
Cancer immunotherapy continues to deliver alternative and superior therapy choices for certain stages and subtypes of lymphoma. Advancement in this field necessitates the development of optimal response criteria that can provide predictive and prognostic information through the use of metabolic parameters. FDG PET/CT plays a key role in the newly developed response criteria, and several FDG PET/CT-based criteria have been proposed to address all patterns of response to therapy, including indeterminate response, pseudoprogression, and hyperprogression using several metrics, such as SUV, MTV, and TLG. Immunotherapy-related side effects should be taken into account and not misinterpreted as disease progression; moreover, they may predict treatment effectiveness. Certainly, more harmonization and consensus are still desired, and the future holds promise for superior immunotherapies and more optimized criteria for assessing response and impacting patient outcomes.