In non small cell lung cancer, the use of bone marrow examination is of little value. Its only current role is experimental in the detection of micrometastases in the operative candidates. It provides a highly accurate and non-invasive method for detecting malignant lung tumors. However, this is a new technology, and its role in lung cancer detection has yet to be clearly defined. Currently CT is the most common method used for high resolution imaging of the chest, however, it cannot effectively differentiate malignant from nonmalignant lesions.
Malignant tissues have an increased rate of glycolysis.
It competes with glucose for uptake and accumulates in the cell because it is not metabolized further and cannot diffuse out of the cell. Thus, the amount of DFG uptake serves as an indirect measure of glucose metabolism. When PET is performed using DFG, differences in glucose metabolism between tissues can be measured allowing potential differentiation of active malignant tumor from less active benign lesions. The ability of PET to detect these differences in glucose metabolism is the basis for its role in lung cancer diagnosis. Boring, CC, SC Squires, T Tong, 1992.