Clinical Trial: (PET) Imaging in the Management of Patients With Solitary Pulmonary Nodules

Study Status: Completed
Recruit Status: Completed
Study Type: Interventional

Official Title: 18/F-FLUORODEOXYGLUCOSE (FDG) POSITRON EMISSION TOMOGRAPHY (PET) IMAGING IN THE MANAGEMENT OF PATIENTS WITH SOLITARY PULMONARY NODULES

Brief Summary:

All patients with a new, untreated solitary pulmonary nodule (SPN) between 7 mm and 3 cm in diameter identified by chest x-ray, will be approached to undergo positron emission tomography (PET) and computerized tomography (CT). The PET and CT scans will be interpreted independently.

The Primary Care Physician will be provided the results of the baseline chest x-ray and the CT scan, and will be asked for a management and treatment decision. Then the results of the PET will be provided to the Primary Care Physician who will be asked for a management and treatment decision based on all findings (chest x-ray, CT, and PET).

Detailed Summary:

Intervention: All patients will undergo a CT scan and PET imaging. Primary Hypothesis: FDG-PET will be more accurate than existing anatomic modalities (chest x-ray and CT scan) in distinguishing between benign and malignant solitary pulmonary nodules (SPN)? This should expedite the removal of any potentially surgically curable malignant lesion and minimize the number of benign masses and surgically incurable lung neoplasms for which unnecessary thoracotomy is done. Secondary Hypothesis: What is the impact of the results of FDG-PET on the diagnosis made and treatment rendered by the referring physicians? What is the intra- and inter-reader reliability of FDG-PET? What is the effect of FDG-PET on the cost of early management of SPNs when FDG-PET is included in the management paradigm or substituted for CT?

Primary Outcomes: Benign or malignant solitary pulmonary nodules, and their treatment.

Study Abstract: All patients with a new, untreated solitary pulmonary nodule (SPN) between 7 mm and 3 cm in diameter identified by chest x-ray, will be approached to participate in the study. Patients will undergo positron emission tomography (PET) and computerized tomography (CT). The PET and CT scans will be interpreted independently.

The Primary Care Physician will be provided the results of the baseline chest x-ray and the CT scan, and will be asked for a management and treatment decision. Then the results of the PET will be provided to the Primary Care Physician who will be asked for a management and treatment decision based on all findings (chest x-ray, CT, and PET).

Site readers will perform an overview of the CT and PET interpretations and provide a diagnosis of the SPN. There will be an Independent Research Readers Panel which wil
Sponsor: VA Office of Research and Development

Current Primary Outcome:

Original Primary Outcome:

Current Secondary Outcome:

Original Secondary Outcome:

Information By: VA Office of Research and Development

Dates:
Date Received: March 18, 2002
Date Started: January 1999
Date Completion: June 2003
Last Updated: January 20, 2009
Last Verified: January 2004