Potential role of hybrid positron emission tomography in pre-operative assessment of primary salivary gland carcinomas

• Published in: Journal of laryngology and otology Vol. 137; no. 5; pp. 551 - 555
• Main Authors: Karimian, S, Hüllner, M W, Rupp, N J, Freiberger, S N, Broglie, M A, Morand, G B
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge, UK Cambridge University Press 01.05.2023
• Subjects: Adenoid; Adenoma; Adenoma, Pleomorphic - diagnostic imaging; Adenoma, Pleomorphic - surgery; Carcinoma; Carcinoma, Adenoid Cystic - pathology; Decision making; Exocrine glands; Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; Head & neck cancer; Histology; Humans; Lymph nodes; Magnetic resonance imaging; Main Article; Metabolism; Metastases; Metastasis; Oral cancer; Otolaryngology; Patients; Phenotypes; Positron emission tomography; Positron-Emission Tomography - methods; Salivary gland; Salivary Gland Neoplasms - diagnostic imaging; Salivary Gland Neoplasms - pathology; Salivary Gland Neoplasms - surgery; Salivary Glands - pathology; Statistical analysis; Tomography; Tumors; Variables; Radiopharmaceuticals; Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; Salivary Gland Neoplasms
• DOI: 10.1017/S0022215122001475
• ISSN: 0022-2151

The added value of hybrid positron emission tomography is increasingly recognised in head and neck cancer. However, its potential role in salivary gland carcinomas has been scarcely investigated. A consecutive cohort of 45 salivary gland carcinoma patients who underwent pre-therapeutic hybrid positron emission tomography and surgical resection was reviewed. This study investigated whether maximum standardised uptake value correlated with tumour phenotype. Tumours of high-grade disease on histology (salivary duct carcinoma, carcinoma ex pleomorphic adenoma) had higher maximum standardised uptake value (Kruskal-Wallis test, = 0.011) than low-grade tumours (adenoid cystic carcinoma and acinic cell carcinoma). Patients with pathologically confirmed node-positive disease had significantly higher maximum standardised uptake value of the primary tumour than patients with pathologically confirmed node-negative disease (Kruskal-Wallis test, = 0.012). Maximum standardised uptake value of the primary tumour may guide clinical decision-making in patients with salivary gland carcinomas, as a high maximum standardised uptake value is associated with high-grade tumour histology and the presence of lymph node metastases. Clinicians may consider more aggressive surgery for these patients.