title: PET-CT staging of the neck in cancers of the oropharynx: patterns of regional and retropharyngeal nodal metastasis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the retropharyngeal lymph node status (RPLN) by pretreatment PET-CT imaging in patients with squamous cell carcinomas of the oropharynx (OPSCC).
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective.
  
  
  METHODS
  101 patients with a biopsy proven OPSCC were identified. 53 patients meeting inclusion criteria were further analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The frequency of RPLN was 20.8% (11/53). Advanced T stage cancer (OR = 5.6250, 95% CI: 1.06 - 29.80, p = 0.0410) and advanced clinical N stage cancer (i.e. N2+) had higher odds (OR = 3.9773, 95% CI: 0.9628 - 16.4291) of being RPLN positive as compared to N0-1 patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Pre-treatment PET-CT can be used as a staging tool to aid in treatment planning of OPSCC, as rates of RPLN and nodal metastasis are consistent with those reported in the literature. Advanced T and N stage are associated with a greater odds ratio of being RPLN positive by PET-CT imaging.
authors: Department of Otolaryngology Head Neck Surgery, LSU Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA, USA.
authors: Marcie
authors: M
authors: Tauzin
authors: Amy
authors: A
authors: Rabalais
authors: Joseph L
authors: JL
authors: Hagan
authors: Charles G
authors: CG
authors: Wood
authors: Robert L
authors: RL
authors: Ferris
authors: Rohan R
authors: RR
authors: Walvekar
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009959:Oropharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography; D011379:Prognosis; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
chemical_list: D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18