The added value of quantitative 18F-FDG-PET/CT parameters in the assessment of pulmonary lymphangitic carcinomatosis in lung cancer

Lymphangitic carcinomatosis is the infiltration and spread of malignant cells through the pulmonary lymphatics. In non-lung malignancies such as breast, gastric, and colon cancer, this typically occurs via hematogenous dissemination of tumor cells to the lung with subsequent extension to the lymphatics (1-3). In primary lung cancers, on the other hand, lymphangitic carcinomatosis may also result from direct invasion from the tumor, through direct spread from pleural metastasis, or via retrograde extension from a metastatic lymph node (4-6).