Fluorodeoxyglucose-Positron-Emission Tomography Imaging of Head and Neck Squamous Cell Cancer

• Published in: American journal of neuroradiology : AJNR Vol. 31; no. 4; pp. 598 - 604
• Main Authors: SUBRAMANIAM, R. M, TRUONG, M, PELLER, P, SAKAI, O, MERCIER, G
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oak Brook, IL American Society of Neuroradiology 01.04.2010
• Subjects: Adult and adolescent clinical studies; Biological and medical sciences; Biopsy, Fine-Needle; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell - diagnostic imaging; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell - pathology; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell - secondary; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell - therapy; Disease Progression; Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; Follow-Up Studies; Humans; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; Investigative techniques, diagnostic techniques (general aspects); Lymphatic Metastasis - diagnostic imaging; Lymphatic Metastasis - pathology; Medical sciences; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local - diagnostic imaging; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local - pathology; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local - therapy; Neoplasm Staging; Neoplasm, Residual - diagnostic imaging; Neoplasm, Residual - pathology; Neoplasm, Residual - therapy; Neoplasms, Multiple Primary - diagnostic imaging; Neoplasms, Multiple Primary - pathology; Neoplasms, Multiple Primary - therapy; Neoplasms, Unknown Primary - diagnostic imaging; Nervous system; Otorhinolaryngologic Neoplasms - diagnostic imaging; Otorhinolaryngologic Neoplasms - pathology; Otorhinolaryngologic Neoplasms - secondary; Otorhinolaryngologic Neoplasms - therapy; Positron-Emission Tomography; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Psychoses; Radiodiagnosis. Nmr imagery. Nmr spectrometry; Review; Schizophrenia; Sensitivity and Specificity; Tomography, X-Ray Computed; Tumor Burden; Ultrasonography; Head and neck; Nervous system diseases; Radiodiagnosis; Positron emission tomography; Tumor cell; Emission tomography
• ISSN: 0195-6108; 1936-959X
• DOI: 10.3174/ajnr.A1760

The hybrid technique of PET/CT has significantly impacted the imaging and management of HNSCC since its introduction in 2001 and has become the technique of choice for imaging of this cancer. Diagnostic FDG-PET/CT is useful for identification of an unknown primary tumor, delineation of extent of primary tumor, detection of regional lymph node involvement even in a normal-sized node, detection of distant metastases and occasional synchronous primary tumor, assessment of therapy response, and long-term surveillance for recurrence and metastases. The role of PET/CT is evolving in radiation therapy planning. Combined diagnostic PET/CT provides the best anatomic and metabolic in vivo information for the comprehensive management of HNSCC.