Oro‐pharyngo‐esophageal radionuclide scintigraphy predicts aspiration pneumonia risk and associated survival in post‐irradiated nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients

OBJECTIVE: To demonstrate that oro‐pharyngo‐esophageal radionuclide scintigraphy (OPERS) not only detects tracheobronchial aspiration after swallowing, but also quantifies the amount of aspiration and subsequent clearance. METHODS: Data collected between 2014 and 2019 were reviewed for aspiration pneumonia at 12 and 24‐months after OPERS. The predictive value for aspiration pneumonia on flexible endoscopic evaluation of swallowing (FEES), videofluoroscopic swallowing study (VFSS), and OPERS, and the overall survival of patients with or without aspiration were determined. RESULTS: Thirty‐seven patients treated with radiotherapy for nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) were reviewed. The incidence of aspiration detected on FEES, VFSS, and OPERS was 78.4%, 66.7%, and 44.4%, respectively. Using VFSS as a gold standard, the sensitivity and specificity of OPERS for aspiration was 73.7% and 100%. The positive and negative predictive values for aspiration were 100% and 66.7%, respectively, with an overall accuracy of 82.8%. A history of aspiration pneumonia was one factor associated with a higher chance of subsequent aspiration pneumonia within 12 months (odds ratio: 15.5, 95% CI 1.67–145.8, p < .05) and 24 months (odds ratio: 23.8, 95% CI 3.69–152.89, p < .01) of the swallowing assessment. Aspiration detected by OPERS was a significant risk factor for future aspiration pneumonia at 12 and 24 months respectively. Significantly, better survival was associated with an absence of aspiration on OPERS only, but not on FEES or VFSS. CONCLUSION: OPERS predicts the safety of swallowing, the incidence of subsequent aspiration pneumonia, and the survival prognosis in post‐irradiated NPC dysphagia patients. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 3.