[Role of [18F]-FDG PET-CT in the management of the head and neck cancers].
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the impact of [(18)F]-FDG PET/CT image fusion in the management of carcinomas of the upper aero-digestive tract.


METHODS
This retrospective study included 169 patients with squamous cell cacinoma of the upper aerodigestive tract who underwent a PET/CT for : initial staging (n = 47), cervical lymphadenopathy from an unknown primary (n = 22), post treatment surveillance (n = 68) and detection of recurrent cancer (n = 32). Results of PET/CT were compared with those of standard workup (CT scan of head, neck and chest and abdominal ultrasound). Histology and clinical follow-up were used as gold-standard.


RESULTS
PET/CT was more accurate than standard workup for 6.4 % of patients for the initial staging, 18,2 % of patients for cervical lymphadenopathy from an unknown primary, 20,6 % of patients for post-treatment surveillance and 25 % of patients for detection of cancer recurrence. In all patients, 17,9 % of FDG uptake foci found by PET/CT were false-positives.


CONCLUSIONS
PET/CT is a reliable tool for the management of carcinomas of the upper aerodigestive tract. The high rate of false-positive findings represents the main limitation of this exam.
Fakhry
Nicolas
N
Service d'ORL et de Chirurgie Cervico-Faciale, Hôpital Timone Adultes, CHU La Timone, 264, rue Saint-Pierre, 13385 Marseille Cedex 05. nfakhry@yahoo.fr
Barberet
Marie
M
Lussato
David
D
Cammilleri
Serge
S
Mundler
Olivier
O
Giovanni
Antoine
A
Zanaret
Michel
M
D000368:Aged; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000556:secondary / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014055:Tomography, Emission-Computed / Q000379:methods*
D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18