FDG-PET in radiotherapy treatment planning of advanced head and neck cancer--a prospective clinical analysis.
BACKGROUND
A prospective clinical analysis was carried out to assess the diagnostic and therapeutic impact of fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) on planning radiotherapy in patients with advanced head and neck cancer in AJCC Stages III/IV.


METHODS
From July 1999 to May 2004 FDG-PET was performed in 49 patients prior to radiotherapy for exclusion of systemic disease, synchronous second or unknown primary tumors.


RESULTS
45/49 (91.9%) FDG-PET findings could be confirmed in comparison with conventional imaging and the clinical follow up of 9.5 months. 21/49 FDG-PET (42.8%) yielded new diagnostic information with therapeutic implications in 20/49 (40.8%) cases. The therapy strategy was changed in 14/49 patients, minor modifications in the portal design occurred in 6/49 patients. 9/49 (18.3%) FDG-PET supported a curative strategy, 11/49 (22.4%) a palliative one.


CONCLUSIONS
FDG-PET is a useful and important diagnostic tool mainly for exclusion of systemic disease in advanced head and neck cancer, thus influencing radiotherapy in 20/49 (40.8%) of patients investigated in our study.
Dietl
Barbara
B
Department of Radiation Therapy, University of Regensburg, Franz-Josef-Strauss Allee 11, 93053 Regensburg, Germany. barbara.dietl@klinik.uni-regensburg.de
Marienhagen
Jörg
J
Kühnel
Thomas
T
Schaefer
Christof
C
Kölbl
Oliver
O
D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy; D005260:Female; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010166:Palliative Care; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography / Q000379:methods*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011446:Prospective Studies; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals
D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18