18F-FET PET/CT in advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma: an intra-individual comparison with 18F-FDG PET/CT.
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.
Haerle
Stephan Kurt
SK
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland. Stephan.haerle@usz.ch
Fischer
Dorothee R
DR
Schmid
Daniel T
DT
Ahmad
Nader
N
Huber
Gerhard F
GF
Buck
Alfred
A
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
D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18