Early evaluation of the response to radiotherapy of patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck using 18FDG-PET.
The aim was to evaluate the efficacy of positron emission tomography (PET) with 2-[F-18]fluoro-2-deoxy-d-glucose (FDG) in early discrimination of response to definitive radiotherapy (RT) in patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN). Twenty-four patients who underwent FDG-PET scans before and after radiotherapy for nondisseminated SCCHN at the Asan Medical Center between August 2001 and September 2002 were prospectively evaluated. Initial FDG-PET scans were performed within 1 month before RT, and follow-up FDG-PET scans were performed 1 month after completion of RT. FDG-PET images were analyzed by standard uptake value (SUV). All patients were followed for more than 6 months. Pretreatment SUV ranged from 3.4 to 14.0 (median, 6.0), while posttreatment SUV ranged from ground level to 7.7 (median, 2.0). In evaluating residual tumors in these SCCHN patients, the overall sensitivity of FDG-PET was 100%, while its overall specificity was 87%. FDG-PET is effective in evaluating the response to radiation in patients with SCCHN. Timing the follow-up FDG-PET scan 1 month after completion of RT was not too rapid for evaluating the response to radiation.
Nam
Soon Yuhl
SY
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Asan Medical Center, College of Medicine, University of Ulsan, Seoul, South Korea.
Lee
Sang-wook
SW
Im
Ki Chun
KC
Kim
Jae-Seung
JS
Kim
Sang Yoon
SY
Choi
Seung-Ho
SH
Ryu
Jin-Sook
JS
Moon
Dae Hyuk
DH
Oh
Seung Joon
SJ
Yi
Byong Yong
BY
Kim
Jong Hoon
JH
Ahn
Seung Do
SD
Shin
Seong Soo
SS
Kim
Sung-Bae
SB
Choi
Eun Kyung
EK
Lee
Bong-Jae
BJ
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D005260:Female; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018365:Neoplasm, Residual; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography / Q000379:methods*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18