[PET/CT imaging in head and neck tumors].
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the usefulness of combined PET/CT examinations for detection of malignant tumors and their metastases in head and neck oncology.


METHODS
51 patients received whole body scans on a dual modality PET/CT system. CT was performed without i.v. contrast. The results were compared concerning the diagnostic impact of native CT scan on FDG-PET images and the additional value of fused imaging.


RESULTS
From 153 lesions were 97 classified as malignant on CT and 136 on FDG/PET images, as suspicious for malignancy in 33 on CT and 7 on FDG-PET and as benign in 23 on CT and 10 on FDG-PET. With combined PET/CT all primary and recurrent tumors could be found, the detection rate in patients with unknown primary tumors was 45%. Compared to PET or CT alone the sensitivity, specifity and accuracy could be significantly improved by means of combined PET/CT.


CONCLUSIONS
Fused PET/CT imaging with [F18]-FDG and native CT-scanning enables accurate diagnosis in 93% of lesions and 90% of patients with head and neck oncology.
Rödel
R
R
Klinik und Poliklinik für Nuklearmedizin, Universitätsklinikum Bonn.
Straehler-Pohl
H J
HJ
Palmedo
H
H
Reichmann
K
K
Jaeger
U
U
Reinhardt
M J
MJ
Biersack
H J
HJ
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000295:instrumentation*; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000295:instrumentation*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000175:diagnosis; D009382:Neoplasms, Unknown Primary / Q000175:diagnosis; D010039:Otorhinolaryngologic Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000556:secondary; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography / Q000295:instrumentation*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000295:instrumentation*
D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18