[Evaluation of the effectiveness of ¹⁸F-FDG-PET/CT examination of head and neck cancer--own experience]

Abstract

Purpose: The aim of the study was to evaluate the usefulness of ¹⁸F-FDG-PET/CT in diagnosis of head and neck cancer.

Material and methods: 60 ¹⁸F-FDG-PET/CT examinations were performed in 50 patients diagnosed and treated for head and neck cancer in Department of Head and Neck Surgery and Nuclear Medicine Department of The Greater Poland Cancer Centre in Poznan, Poland from 2007 to 2011. Patients were divided into 2 subgroups: CUP Syndrome patients (25 PET/CT exams) and patients being under control after treatment (35 PET/CT exams).

Results: In the group of CUP Syndrome patients 6 PET/CT examinations were negative, in 7--possible primary tumor was indicated, in 10--only cervical lymph node metastases were diagnosed, in 2 cases--distant metastases occured. Within the second subgroup 14 PET/CT examinations were negative, 11 exams--indicated the recurrent disease, 2--cervical lymph node metastases and 8--distant metastases. The sensitivity and specificity of ¹⁸F-FDG-PET/CT in this study within the CUP Syndrome patients group were 100% and 55% respectively. The positive predictive value was 74%. The negative predictive value was 100%. The sensitivity and specificity of ¹⁸F-FDG-PET/CT in this study within the second group of patients were 88% and 66% respectively. The positive predictive value was 71%. The negative predictive value was 86%.

Conclusions: ¹⁸F-FDG-PET/CT is useful for staging of head and neck cancer, identification of an unknown primary tumor, delineation of the extent of regional lymph node involvement, detection of distant metastases and occasional synchronous primary tumor.