Are the metabolic evaluation criteria sufficient for FDG PET/CT after chemo-radiotherapy in non-small cell lung cancer?

Although the predictive and prognostic value of metabolic imaging by positron emission tomography (PET) in diagnosis, staging, recurrence determination and early response assessment in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is known, the standard in the evaluation of response to treatment in locally advanced NSCLC is unclear (1). One of the challenges of post treatment assessment is imaging during and after radiotherapy (RT) (2). Lung injury caused by radiation usually develops in two periods regarding time interval after the end of treatment.