Usefulness of 18F-FDG PET-CT in the Presurgical Assessment of Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma Treated with Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy

Abstract Malignant pleural mesothelioma is a relatively rare, but highly aggressive, tumor, associated to exposure to asbestos, with a life expectancy between 9 and 17 months. Chest pain and dyspnea are the most frequent symptoms. The most commonly used therapy is surgery accompanied by chemotherapy. Preoperative assessment, after chemotherapy, has been done using magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography (CT). However, these techniques cannot predict early response to therapy, because of the slow structural change of the tumor. The aim of this case report is to review and learn about the growing use of PET-CT imaging with 18 F-FDG in the preoperative staging of malignant pleural mesothelioma and its influence in selecting the most appropriate type of surgery.