The value of 18F-FDG PET/CT in the systemic evaluation of patients with Rosai-Dorfman disease: a retrospective study and literature review

Orphanet J Rare Dis. 2023 May 13;18(1):116. doi: 10.1186/s13023-023-02711-8.

Abstract

Background: Rosai-Dorfman disease (RDD) is a rare form of non-Langerhans cell histiocytic disease. The aim of this study was to review the characteristics of RDD using 18F-FDG PET/CT and determine its efficacy in the disease management.

Results: A total of 28 RDD patients underwent 33 18F-FDG PET/CT scans for systematic assessment and follow-up. The common involved sites included the lymph nodes (17, 60.7%), upper respiratory tract (11, 39.3%), and skin (9, 32.1%). Five patients had more lesions detected in PET/CT images than in CT and/or MRI, including inapparent nodules (n = 5) and bone destruction (n = 3). After thorough treatment evaluation using PET/CT, the treatment strategies of 14 patients (14/16, 87.5%) were changed. Five patients underwent PET/CT twice during follow-up and the SUVs were significantly decreased (15.3 ± 3.4 vs. 4.4 ± 1.0, p = 0.02), which demonstrated disease improvement.

Conclusions: 18F-FDG PET/CT contributed to displaying the holistic characteristics of RDD, in particular during initial assessment, treatment strategy adjustment, or efficacy evaluation, and could compensate for some disadvantages of CT and MRI images.

Keywords: 18F-FDG PET/CT; Lesion identification; Non-Langerhans cell histiocytosis; Rosai–Dorfman disease.

Publication types

  • Review
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Fluorodeoxyglucose F18
  • Histiocytosis, Sinus* / diagnostic imaging
  • Histiocytosis, Sinus* / pathology
  • Humans
  • Positron Emission Tomography Computed Tomography
  • Positron-Emission Tomography
  • Retrospective Studies

Substances

  • Fluorodeoxyglucose F18