title: Value of 2-[18F]-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose imaging with dual-head gamma camera in coincidence mode: comparison with computed tomography/magnetic resonance imaging in patients with suspected recurrent head and neck cancers.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the present study was to assess the value of dual-head gamma-camera (DHGC) imaging in the coincidence mode using 2-[18F]-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose in differentiating recurrent tumor from posttreatment changes in previously treated head and neck cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a single-center prospective study performed with the approval of our Institutional Review Board. Twenty-nine patients with suspected recurrent head and neck cancers were prospectively enrolled in this study. Dual-head gamma-camera imaging in the coincidence mode followed computed tomography (CT; n = 24)/magnetic resonance imaging (MRI; n = 5) within a period of 1 week (mean = 3.5 days) in all patients. Thirteen patients had definite pathologic confirmation of recurrence by undergoing a biopsy. Sixteen patients, however, did not have a definite pathologic confirmation and were followed clinically. The mean duration of follow-up for the subgroup of patients who were followed clinically was 22.8 months (range: 4-48 months). Sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) for CT/MRI and DHGC imaging in the coincidence mode were calculated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The sensitivity, specificity, PPV, NPV, and accuracy of CT/MRI in the detection of recurrent cancer were 76.5%, 58.3%, 72.2%, 63.6%, and 69%, respectively. In contrast, the sensitivity (100%), NPV (100%), and accuracy (82.8%) of DHGC imaging in the coincidence mode were superior to that of CT/MRI. Dual-head gamma-camera imaging in the coincidence mode had a specificity (58.3%) and PPV (77.3%) comparable to those of CT/MRI.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our data suggest that modified positron emission tomography with DHGC imaging in the coincidence mode is a useful tool in the assessment of recurrent head and neck cancer.
authors: Division of Neuroradiology, Department of Radiology, University of Michigan Health System, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-0030, USA. dheeraj@umich.edu
authors: Dheeraj
authors: D
authors: Gandhi
authors: Steve
authors: S
authors: Falen
authors: William
authors: W
authors: McCartney
authors: William
authors: W
authors: Shockley
authors: Mark
authors: M
authors: Weissler
authors: Sylvia
authors: S
authors: Wrenn
authors: Gaurang
authors: G
authors: Shah
authors: Suresh K
authors: SK
authors: Mukherji
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18