Is FDG-PET texture analysis related to intratumor biological heterogeneity in lung cancer?

We aimed at investigating the origin of the correlations between tumor volume and 18F-FDG-PET texture indices in lung cancer. Eighty-five consecutive patients with newly diagnosed non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) underwent a 18F-FDG-PET/CT scan before treatment. Seven phantom spheres uniformly filled with 18F-FDG, and covering a range of activities and volumes similar to that found in lung tumors, were also scanned. Established texture indices...