Change in cancer diagnosis during the COVID-19 pandemic: Trends estimated from FDG-PET/CT.

The aim of this study is to clarify changes in the circumstances of cancer diagnoses during the COVID-19 pandemic in Tokyo, Japan, estimated from [F]-2-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose (FDG) -positron emission tomography/ computed tomography (PET/CT) for cancer patients. Cancer diagnosis in pandemic status (PANS) was evaluated by retrospective review of the findings of FDG-PET/CT examinations performed between 11 March 2020 and 28 December 2021 for initial staging and restaging for malignancy. Evaluation of cancer diagnosis in pre-pandemic status (pPANS) was conducted similarly in FDG-PET/CT examinations performed between 4 January 2018 and 10 March 2020.