PET/CT in CAR T-Cell Therapy for Hematologic Malignancies: A Bibliometric and Clinically Annotated Analysis

Background/Objectives: We mapped positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) research in chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy and described clinical applications by malignancy. Methods: We combined bibliometrics, publication-level clinical annotation, and narrative comparison of selected original reports from the Web of Science Core Collection (2013–2026; 30 September 2026 snapshot). Results: Of 358 assessed records, 114 were included for bibliometrics (51 journals; 1913 citations) and 113 for clinical annotation: 87 B-cell lymphoma or non-Hodgkin lymphoma reports, 12 multiple myeloma, eight acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), and six other or nonspecific reports. Sixty reports described PET/CT before and after infusion, 33 before only, and 20 after only. Specific products or constructs were identified in 74 reports (65.5%) and not identified in 39 (34.5%). In selected lymphoma cohorts, higher baseline metabolic tumor volume and higher one-month Deauville scores were each associated with shorter progression-free survival. In separate myeloma cohorts, true extramedullary disease was associated with shorter survival, while early PET/CT negativity was not significantly associated with progression-free survival. In ALL, serial PET/CT illustrated extramedullary response in a small case series. Conclusions: Findings should be interpreted by malignancy and scan timing. The evidence does not establish a universal schedule, threshold, or benefit from imaging-guided management.