Contribution of (18)F-FDG PET/CT to Staging of Head and Neck Malignancies

OBJECTIVE: Accurate staging of head and neck cancer (HNC) plays an important role in patient management as well as protection of functional characteristics of the head and neck region. Our aim was to investigate the contribution of 2-[(18)F]-fluoro-2-deoxy-d-glucose (FDG) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) as part of HNC staging to clinical evaluation and treatment planning. METHODS: Clinical records of 138 HNC cases who has undergone (18)F-FDG PET/CT imaging were retrospectively reviewed. Sixty-five cases who had accessible clinical follow-up data were included in the study group, and their PET/CT and conventional imaging findings were evaluated. RESULTS: In the case group with a PET/CT and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for evaluation of primary lesion the sensitivity rates for PET/CT and MRI were calculated as 91.3% and 82.6%, the positive predictive values (PPV) as 91.3% and 82.6%, specificity as 71.4% and 42.8%, and the negative predictive value (NPV) as 71.4% and 42.8%, respectively. In terms of metastatic lymph node evaluation, the sensitivity was calculated as 100% and 88.8%, the NPV as 100% and 83.3%, respectively. The PPV and specificity was 100% for both modalities. In the case group with CT for primary lesion evaluation, the sensitivity and PPV were found as 95.2% and 100% for PET/CT, and as 85.7% and 94.7% for CT, respectively. in metastatic lymph node evaluation, the sensitivity was found as 100% for PET/CT and 50% for CT, and the PPV, specificity and NPV were determined as 100% for both methods. PET/CT findings resulted in a change in ‘tumor, node, metastasis’ staging in 5 cases. CONCLUSION: PET/CT in HNC contributes to staging, thus playing a role in treatment planning, especially in patients with locally advanced disease.