title: PET/CT Protocols and Artifacts in the Head and Neck.
abstract: Combined PET/CT has been in existence clinically for nearly 7 years since development and initial evaluation from 1998 to 2001. Combined PET/CT offers advantages over PET and CT acquired on separate devices, including consolidation of imaging studies, more accurate data coregistration, improved lesion localization, and benefits related to radiation therapy planning. This article discusses CT and PET protocols pertinent to PET/CT imaging in patients who have head and neck cancer, including a discussion of how the CT portion of a PET/CT scan can be performed and a description of common PET/CT artifacts that may be encountered secondary to CT protocols.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Hillman Cancer Center, University of Pittsburgh, 5115 Centre Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15232, USA. Electronic address: toddblodgett@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Todd M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Blodgett
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Hillman Cancer Center, University of Pittsburgh, 5115 Centre Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15232, USA.
authors.forename: Alex
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ryan
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Hillman Cancer Center, University of Pittsburgh, 5115 Centre Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15232, USA.
authors.forename: Aref
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Akbarpouranbadr
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Hillman Cancer Center, University of Pittsburgh, 5115 Centre Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15232, USA.
authors.forename: Barry M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: McCook
keywords: Artifacts; Attenuation correction artifacts; Head and neck cancer; PET/CT; PET/CT protocols