[Clinical evaluation of 18-fluorine fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography-CT imaging in head and neck tumors].
OBJECTIVE
To study the clinical value of 18-fluorine fluorodeoxyglucose (18 F-FDG) positron emission tomography (PET)-CT imaging in diagnosis and detection of primary tumors and suspicious recurrence in head and neck cancers.


METHODS
Twenty-seven patients with primary tumors or metastases in head and neck underwent 18F-FDG PET-CT imaging, and compared with clinical data.


RESULTS
1. In 4 NPC diagnosed pre-radiation patients the 18F-FDG PET-CT imaging in nasopharynx was all positive, 2 of them were detected with neck lymph node metastases, which were confirmed later histopathologically. In 12 NPC cases after radiation, 4 were not found any evidence of tumor with PET-CT imaging and clinically, 4 were detected neck recurrence and confirmed histopathologically, 2 had remote metastases confirmed by other imaging, 2 were detected and confirmed recurrence in primary sites and one of them in regional and remote site. 2. In 4 neck metastatic patients with unknown primary tumor, the primary tumors were all identified, 3 of them were confirmed histopathologically. 3. Seven patients with other head and neck tumors after therapy underwent 18F-FDG PET-CT imaging. Two patients had no evidence of recurrence. Five patients were detected recurrence or metastases, 4 of them were confirmed histopathologically, one of them refused biopsy.


CONCLUSIONS
With metabolic image of PET and anatomic image of CT, 18F-FDG PET-CT is a kind of very useful way in diagnosing primary tumor and detecting the recurrence and metastases in patients with head and neck tumor.
Li
Xiang-ping
XP
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Nanfang Hospital, First Military Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China. lp@fimmu.com
Liang
Yong
Y
Liu
Xiong
X
Wang
Quan-shi
QS
Wu
Hu-bing
HB
D005260:Female; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography / Q000379:methods*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods
D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18