Diagnostic avenues in (post-transplant) lymphoproliferative disorders
| PhD ceremony: | Mr F.M. (Filipe) Montes de Jesus |
| When: | January 12, 2022 |
| Start: | 16:15 |
| Supervisors: | prof. dr. A.W.J.M. (Andor) Glaudemans, prof. dr. R.A.J.O. (Rudi) Dierckx |
| Co-supervisors: | dr. T.C. Kwee, dr. W. Noordzij |
| Where: | Academy building RUG |
| Faculty: | Medical Sciences / UMCG |
Post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorders (PTLDs) are a spectrum of hematological malignancies occurring after solid organ and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in the setting of pharmacological immunosuppression. In this already vulnerable population, PTLD constitutes a serious health burden, associated with high morbidity and mortality. Imaging modalities are essential in the management of these patients for accurate assessment of disease burden and prognosis. Ongoing developments in the field of molecular imaging, including radiomics, new radiotracers, and cell free DNA phenotyping are promising adjunct tools which have the potential to improve the diagnosis and management of these patients.
The aim of this thesis was to investigate the role of imaging in the management of PTLD, with focus on [18F]FDG PET/CT. Additionally, we set out to explore new diagnostic methods with potential for clinical translation. In Part I (chapters 2-7), we reviewed the published literature on the role of different imaging modalities in PTLD and evaluated the diagnostic performance of [18F]FDG PET/CT for PTLD lesion detection in adults and children. Furthermore, we explored the role of [18F]FDG PET/CT semiquantification in PTLD for lesion classification and prognostication. In Part II (chapters 8-10) we proceeded to explore new avenues of research including: radiomics, identification of radiotracers adjunct to [18F]FDG and cfDNA analysis.