title: [Usefulness of 18F-FDG PET/CT examination in the diagnosis of head and neck cancer--preliminary results].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the study was to determine the usefulness of 18-FFDG PET/CT in oncological diagnostics in laryngology.
  
  
  METHODS
  45 PET/CT examinations were performed in 41 patients diagnosed with head and neck cancer in Department of Otolaryngology and Nuclear Medicine Department WUM from 2008 to 2011. In 3 patients PET/CT study was conducted several times.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In 18 patients the result of PET/CT examination was negative, in 27 – positive. Based on PET/CT imaging the recurrent disease was diagnosed in 9 patients, cervical lymph node metastases – in 12 patients, distant metastases – in 6 patients, possible primary tumour localization – in 3 patients. In 7 cases additional foci of increased FDG uptake were revealed outside the head and neck. Among 22 contrast enhanced CT scans performed earlier, in 18 cases results were confirmed. In 2 cases there was no increased FDG concentration in lesions considered suspicious due to CT, in 2 patients increased focal FDG uptake was observed despite no changes in CT scans. The mean SUVmax value in all the lesions in head and neck region was 3.0; for examinations revealing recurrent disease, nodal or distant metastases mean SUVmax was 7.9.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  18F-FDG PET/CT is a useful diagnostic tool for staging of head and neck cancer, identifying residual and recurrent disease and detecting the occult primary tumour. It also allows the visualization of other lesions suspected for malignancy, localized outside the head and neck region.
authors: Klinika Otolaryngologii Warszawskiego Uniwersytetu Medycznego. magda.kuzminska@wp.pl
authors: Magdalena
authors: M
authors: Kuźmińska
authors: Ewa
authors: E
authors: Osuch-Wójcikiewicz
authors: Katarzyna
authors: K
authors: Fronczewska-Wieniawska
authors: Leszek
authors: L
authors: Królicki
authors: Kazimierz
authors: K
authors: Niemczyk
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D064847:Multimodal Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D011044:Poland; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18