[Value of additional skull lateral static imaging in whole-body bone imaging for skull bone invasion evaluation in nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients: comparison with CT].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the value of the additional skull lateral static imaging in whole-body bone imaging (WBI) vs CT for evaluation of skull base invasion in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma.


METHODS
A total of 405 patients with pathologically confirmed NPC underwent WBI with additional static imaging of the left and right skull as well as CT examination of the nasopharynx and skull base within one week before the radiotherapy.


RESULTS
The concordance rates between WBI and CT for positive and negative diagnosis were 29.48% and 76.05% in these cases, respectively, with the total concordance rate of 81.23%. The concordance rates between skull lateral static imaging with visual judgment and CT examination for positive and negative diagnosis were 67.95% and 74.07%, respectively, showing a total concordance rate of 87.16%. Skull lateral static imaging with semi-quantitative analysis and CT examination showed concordance rates for positive and negative diagnosis of 75.64% and 74.07%, respectively, with a total rate of 88.64%. In 27 patients with negative diagnosis by CT but a positive one in skull lateral static imaging with semi-quantitative analysis, 9 had a positive diagnosis by magnetic resonance imaging.


CONCLUSIONS
Skull lateral static imaging can be of value in the diagnosis of skull base invasion in NPC patients and may serve as an effective means for screening skull base invasion in NPC.
Feng
Hui-Juan
HJ
Department of Nuclear Medicine, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China. fhj0403@126.com
Ouyang
Wei
W
Liu
Jin-Hua
JH
Liu
Wei-Ying
WY
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009303:Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology*; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D012886:Skull / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D012888:Skull Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000556:secondary; D013669:Technetium Tc 99m Medronate; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D051598:Whole Body Imaging; D055815:Young Adult
D013669:Technetium Tc 99m Medronate