Diagnostic accuracy of 18F–FDG PET/CT and MR imaging in patients with adenoid cystic carcinoma

• Published in: BMC cancer Vol. 17; no. 1; p. 887
• Main Authors: Ruhlmann, Verena, Poeppel, Thorsten D, Veit, Johannes, Nagarajah, James, Umutlu, Lale, Hoffmann, Thomas K, Bockisch, Andreas, Herrmann, Ken, Sauerwein, Wolfgang
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London BioMed Central Ltd 22.12.2017; BioMed Central; BMC
• Subjects: Adenoid cystic carcinoma; Cancer; Carcinoma; Care and treatment; Magnetic resonance imaging; Metastasis; MRI; PET imaging; PET/CT
• ISSN: 1471-2407; 1471-2407
• DOI: 10.1186/s12885-017-3890-4

BACKGROUNDThe aim of this study was to evaluate the value of 18F-FDG PET/CT (PET/CT) and MRI for local and/or whole-body restaging of adenoid cystic carcinoma of the head and neck (ACC).METHODSThirty-six patients with ACC underwent conventional MRI of the head and neck and a whole-body PET/CT and were analysed with regards to detection of a local tumor recurrence, lymph node or distant metastases. A consensus interpretation of all available imaging data was used as reference standard. Sensitivity, specificity, diagnostic accuracy, positive and negative predictive values were calculated for MRI and PET/CT.RESULTSThe sensitivity of PET/CT and MRI was 96% (89%), specificity 89% (89%), PPV 96% (96%), NPV 89% (73%) and accuracy 94% (89%) for detection of local tumors. Additionally, PET/CT revealed lymph node metastases in one patient and distant metastases in 9/36 patients. In three patients secondary primaries were found.CONCLUSIONSWhole-body PET/CT in addition to MRI of the head and neck improves detection of local tumour and metastastic spread in ACC.