title: The potential of positron emission tomography/computerized tomography (PET/CT) scanning as a detector of high-risk patients with oral infection during preoperative staging.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  It is sometimes difficult to determine during the preoperative period whether patients have oral infections; these patients need treatment to prevent oral infection-related complications from arising during medical therapies, such as cancer therapy and surgery. One of the reasons for this difficulty is that basic medical tests do not identify oral infections, including periodontitis and periapical periodontitis. In this report, we investigated the potential of positron emission tomography/computerized tomography (PET/CT) as a diagnostic tool in these patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  We evaluated eight patients during the preoperative period. All patients underwent PET/CT scanning and were identified as having the signs of oral infection, as evidenced by (18)F-fludeoxyglucose (FDG) localization in the oral regions. Periodontal examination and orthopantomogram evaluation showed severe infection or bone resorption in the oral regions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  (18)F-FDG was localized in oral lesions, such as severe periodontitis, apical periodontitis, and pericoronitis of the third molar. The densities of (18)F-FDG were proportional to the degree of inflammation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PET/CT is a potential diagnostic tool for oral infections. It may be particularly useful in patients during preoperative staging, as they frequently undergo scanning at this time, and those identified as having oral infections at this time require treatment before cancer therapy or surgery.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathophysiology-Periodontal Science, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry, and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama, Japan; Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Hiroshima City Hiroshima Citizens Hospital, Hiroshima, Japan.
authors.forename: Keisuke
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yamashiro
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Hiroshima City Hiroshima Citizens Hospital, Hiroshima, Japan.
authors.forename: Makoto
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nakano
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Hiroshima City Hiroshima Citizens Hospital, Hiroshima, Japan.
authors.forename: Koichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sawaki
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Hiroshima City Hiroshima Citizens Hospital, Hiroshima, Japan.
authors.forename: Fumihiko
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Okazaki
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Hiroshima City Hiroshima Citizens Hospital, Hiroshima, Japan.
authors.forename: Yasuhisa
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hirata
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathophysiology-Periodontal Science, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry, and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama, Japan. Electronic address: Stakashi@okayama-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Shogo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Takashiba
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D010497:Pericoronitis / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D010518:Periodontitis / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D000072078:Positron Emission Tomography Computed Tomography; D057234:Preoperative Period; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals
chemical_list: D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18