Fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography/computed tomography imaging in patients with carcinoma of the larynx: diagnostic accuracy and impact on clinical management.
OBJECTIVE
The objectives of this study were to assess the value of F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) in patients with carcinoma of the larynx as compared with PET and CT alone and to assess the impact of PET/CT on further clinical management.


METHODS
This was a prospective, nonrandomized study.


METHODS
Forty-two patients with laryngeal cancer had 51 PET/CT examinations. There were 34 men and eight women, aged 39 to 80 years. All studies were interpreted prospectively with knowledge of the clinical history and results of previous imaging tests. The performance of different imaging modalities was compared on both a study- and lesion-based analysis for sensitivity, specificity, positive (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV), and accuracy. Changes in patient care resulting from the PET/CT studies were recorded.


RESULTS
The study analysis showed that PET/CT had a sensitivity of 92%, specificity 96%, PPV 96%, NPV 92%, and accuracy of 94% as compared with 92%, 73%, 76%, 91%, and 82% for PET, and 88%, 8%, 48%, 40%, and 51% for CT, respectively. There were 112 suspicious sites evaluated in the 51 studies. PET/CT altered management in 25 patients (59%) by sparing previously planned diagnostic procedures (n=13), by changing the planned therapeutic approach (n=9), and by guiding a biopsy to a metabolically active laryngeal area (n=3).


CONCLUSIONS
The performance of PET/CT is better than standalone PET or CT in patients with cancer of the larynx. PET/CT had a major impact on management of 59% of patients.
Gordin
Arie
A
Otolaryngology, Rambam Medical Center, Haifa, Israel. gordina@bezeqint.net.il
Daitzchman
Marcello
M
Doweck
Ilana
I
Yefremov
Nikolay
N
Golz
Avishay
A
Keidar
Zohar
Z
Bar-Shalom
Rachel
R
Kuten
Abraham
A
Israel
Ora
O
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005260:Female; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D006801:Humans; D007822:Laryngeal Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography / Q000379:methods*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18