Objective To investigate the relationship between ¹⁸F-fluorodeoxy glucose (¹⁸F-FDG) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) maximum standard uptake value (SUV_max) and clinicopathological features, neoadjuvant chemotherapy response in patients with invasive ductal breast carcinoma.

Methods We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 272 breast cancer patients who underwent ¹⁸F-FDG PET/CT in our hospital. SUV_max of primary lesions were measured. The relationship of primary lesion SUV_max with the clinicopathological features, molecular subtype and neoadjuvant chemotherapy response was analyzed.

Results There were statistically significant differences of primary lesion SUV_max in different T stages, pathological stage, with or without lymph node invasion (all P < 0.05). SUV_max of estrogen receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor (PR) negative patients were higher than that of ER and(or)PR positive patients (P < 0.05). No significant difference of SUV_max was found between human epidermal growth factor receptor 2(HER-2)negative and positive patients(P > 0.05). SUV_max of primary lesion were higher in patients with Ki-67≥14% than that with Ki-67 < 14%(P < 0.05). SUV_max in Basal-like and HER2 overexpression groups were higher than that in Luminal A group(P < 0.05). SUV_max in pathologic complete response (pCR) group was higher than that in no pCR group(P < 0.05).

Conclusion ¹⁸F-FDG PET/CT SUV_max is correlated with clinicopathological feature of breast cancer patients. Patients with higher SUV_max of primary lesion could benefit better from neoadjuvant chemotherapy.