title: Initial clinical results of simultaneous 18F-FDG PET/MRI in comparison to 18F-FDG PET/CT in patients with head and neck cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic capability of simultaneous (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET)/MRI compared to (18)F-FDG PET/CT as well as their single components in head and neck cancer patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a prospective study 17 patients underwent (18)F-FDG PET/CT for staging or follow-up and an additional (18)F-FDG PET/MRI scan with whole-body imaging and dedicated examination of the neck. MRI, CT and PET images as well as PET/MRI and PET/CT examinations were evaluated independently and in a blinded fashion by two reader groups. Results were compared with the reference standard (final diagnosis determined in consensus using all available data including histology and follow-up). Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) were calculated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 23 malignant tumours were found with the reference standard. PET/CT showed a sensitivity of 82.7%, a specificity of 87.3%, a PPV of 73.2% and a NPV of 92.4%. Corresponding values for PET/MRI were 80.5, 88.2, 75.6 and 92.5%. No statistically significant difference in diagnostic capability could be found between PET/CT and PET/MRI. Evaluation of the PET part from PET/CT revealed highest sensitivity of 95.7%, and MRI showed best specificity of 96.4%. There was a high inter-rater agreement in all modalities (Cohen's kappa 0.61-0.82).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PET/MRI of patients with head and neck cancer yielded good diagnostic capability, similar to PET/CT. Further studies on larger cohorts to prove these first results seem justified.
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital of Leipzig, Liebigstrasse 20, 04103, Leipzig, Germany.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kubiessa
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Purz
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gawlitza
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kühn
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fuchs
authors.forename: K G
authors.initials: KG
authors.lastname: Steinhoff
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Boehm
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Sabri
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kluge
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kahn
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Stumpp
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D064847:Multimodal Imaging; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011446:Prospective Studies; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
chemical_list: D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18