Detection of recurrent nasopharyngeal carcinomas with positron emission tomography using 18-fluoro-2-deoxyglucose in patients with indeterminate magnetic resonance imaging findings after radiotherapy.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of positron emission tomography (PET) using 18-fluoro-2-deoxyglucose (FDG) to detect recurrent nasopharyngeal carcinomas (NPC) when magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings are indeterminate.


METHODS
After radiotherapy, 28 NPC patients with indeterminate MRI findings were included. MRI, FDG-PET, and biopsy were performed at least 4 months after radiotherapy and within 1 week. The final results were based on histopathologic findings and a clinical follow-up of at least 6 months.


RESULTS
For detecting recurrent NPC in indeterminate MRI findings, the sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of FDG-PET were 100.0%, 92.9% and 96.4%, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
Based on these results, we can recommend FDG-PET for detecting recurrent NPC when MRI findings are indeterminate.
Tsai
M H
MH
Department of Otolaryngology, China Medical College Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan.
Shiau
Y C
YC
Kao
C H
CH
Shen
Y Y
YY
Lin
C C
CC
Lee
C C
CC
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009303:Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy; D011859:Radiography; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D012008:Recurrence; D014055:Tomography, Emission-Computed
D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18