【Objective】 To investigate the clinical value of 18F-FDG PET/CT in detecting the lymph nodal metastases in the patients with breast cancer post comprehensive therapy. 【Methods】 The reports of FDG PET/CT scans and conventional imaging

such as CT

MRI

and/or ultrasound

performed from January 2011 to December 2011 on 87 patients with breast cancer post treatment were retrospectively reviewed. The final results were obtained from medical records

histopathological results and follow-up at least 6 months. The accuracy

specificity

sensitivity

positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) of FDG PET/CT and conventional workup were calculated and compared. Meanwhile

We investigated the difference of SUVmax (Stand Uptake Value) of the benign and malignant lymph nodes. 【Results】 The accuracy

sensitivity

specificity

PPV and NPV of FDG PET/CT scan were 90.8%

94.6%

88.0%

85.4%

and 95.7%. The conventional workup were 79.3%

73.0%

84.0%

77.1%

and 80.8%

respectively. There were statistical difference in accuracy

sensitivity

and NPV between the two groups. The average of SUVmax of the metastatic and benign lymph nodes were 8.28 ± 3.6 and 4.58± 1.9

and there was significant difference between them.   【Conclusion】 FDG PET/CT has an advantage over the conventional work-up in detecting the metastatic lymph nodes in the patients with breast cancer post comprehensive treatments.