Methods: A total of 281 lung cancer patients (258 males, 23 females; mean age 65.7±10.0 years, range 37 to 87 years) with invasive and/or noninvasive diagnostic findings were retrospectively evaluated between May 2011 and June 2014. Distributions of histopathological subtypes and the maximum standardized uptake values of lung cancer were evaluated according to the primary tumor localization.

Results: We detected that maximum standardized uptake values of squamous cell carcinoma were significantly higher compared to adenocarcinoma in tumors localized in right upper lobe, left upper lobe, left lower lobe, right main bronchus, and left main bronchus (p<0.05).

Conclusion: Although the definitive diagnosis of lung cancer is established by histopathological analysis, positron emission tomography/computed tomography evaluation may help to interpret various histopathological subtypes according to maximum standardized uptake values in some localizations. To our knowledge, this is the first study regarding the usefulness of positron emission tomography/ computed tomography in interpreting lung cancer subtypes according to the localization. Further clinical studies are required to shed light on this issue.