title: 18F-FET PET/CT in advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma: an intra-individual comparison with 18F-FDG PET/CT.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the diagnostic value of O-2-fluoro-18(F)-ethyl-L-tyrosine ((18)F-FET) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) for patients with advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma compared with 18F-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose ((18)F-FDG) PET/CT at initial staging and following radiochemotherapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirteen patients were prospectively enrolled; each of them underwent an (18)F-FDG PET/CT and (18)F-FET PET/CT before treatment. Ten of those were scanned 10 weeks after treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy for (18)F-FDG PET/CT (primary and lymph node metastases) at initial staging were 89%, 50%, and 81%. For (18)F-FET PET/CT the numbers were 70%, 90%, and 74%. Sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy for (18)F-FDG PET/CT at follow-up were 71%, 65%, and 67%. For (18)F-FET PET/CT the numbers were 29%, 100%, and 83%. Additionally, (18)F-FDG PET/CT detected a higher number of second malignancies or distant metastases.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  (18)F-FET is no substitute for (18)F-FDG. Although it is more specific, too many malignant lesions are missed due to its lower sensitivity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland. Stephan.haerle@usz.ch
authors.forename: Stephan Kurt
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Haerle
authors.forename: Dorothee R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Fischer
authors.forename: Daniel T
authors.initials: DT
authors.lastname: Schmid
authors.forename: Nader
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ahmad
authors.forename: Gerhard F
authors.initials: GF
authors.lastname: Huber
authors.forename: Alfred
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Buck
mesh_terms: 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; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D064847:Multimodal Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
chemical_list: D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18