Preoperative image fusion of fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose-positron emission tomography and computed tomography data sets in oral maxillofacial carcinoma: potential clinical value.
OBJECTIVE
The aim was to evaluate the clinical and therapeutic value of digital image fusion of 2-[18]-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose (F18-FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) and computed tomography (CT) in patients suffering from an oral maxillofacial carcinoma.


METHODS
Seventeen patients (11 male, 6 female; age range: 45-89 years) suffering from an oral maxillofacial carcinoma underwent CT and F18-FDG-PET (333-370 MBq). The data of the 2 imaging modalities were fused on an image workstation. This image fusion was then visualized in the axial, coronal, and sagittal planes.


RESULTS
PET showed a high pathologic FDG uptake in the tumor in 17 of 17 patients. CT detected the tumor in 12 of 17 patients. The image fusion of FDG-PET and CT showed the tumor in 17 of 17 patients. The final diagnosis was carcinoma of the mandible in 9 of 17 patients, carcinoma of the mouth floor in 3 of 17 patients, carcinoma of the tongue in 3 of 17 patients, carcinoma of the roof of the mouth in 1 of 17 patients, and carcinoma of the parotis gland in 1 of 17 patients.


CONCLUSIONS
Preoperative image fusion of FDG-PET and CT data sets in oral maxillofacial carcinoma is possible in the clinical routine. Combined morphologic (CT) and functional (PET) imaging improves tumor localization even if the tumor is hardly visible on CT because of the artefacts of dental metallic implants (3/17 patients) or because of the small size of the tumor (2/17 patients). Image fusion is helpful for planning possible surgery (visual models) or radiotherapy (exact region of interest).
Wolf
Gerald
G
Department of Radiology, Karl-Franzens-University, Graz, Austria. ge.wolf@kfunigraz.ac.at
Nicoletti
Rudolf
R
Schultes
Guenter
G
Schwarz
Thomas
T
Schaffler
Gottfried
G
Aigner
Reingard Maria
RM
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005260:Female; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D014055:Tomography, Emission-Computed / Q000379:methods*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*
D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18