Recurrence of head and neck cancer after surgery or irradiation: Prospective comparison of 2-deoxy-2-[F-18]fluoro-D-glucose PET and MR imaging diagnoses

Yoshimi Anzai, William R. Carroll, Douglas J. Quint, Carol R. Bradford, Satoshi Minoshima, Gregory T. Wolf, Richard L. Wahl

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

254 Scopus citations

Abstract

PURPOSE: To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of positron emission tomography (PET) with administration of 2-deoxy-2-[fluorine-18]fluoro-D- glucose (FDG) relative to that of magnetic resonance (MR) imaging and/or computed tomography (CT) in recurrent head and neck cancers. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twelve adult patients (mean age, 63 years) with previously treated head and neck cancers and clinical suspicion of recurrence underwent FDG PET and MR imaging and/or CT. All images were blindly and independently interpreted without histopathologic findings (obtained within 1 week of imaging). The level of confidence in image interpretation was graded by using a five-point rating system (0 = definitely no recurrence to 4 = definite recurrence). RESULTS: Recurrence was confirmed in eight patients. With a rating of 4 as a positive finding, FDG PET yielded a sensitivity and specificity of 88% (seven of eight) and 100% (four of four), respectively; MR imaging and/or CT, 25% (two of eight) and 75% (three of four), respectively. Receiver-operating characteristic analysis showed significantly better diagnostic accuracy with FDG PET than with MR imaging and/or CT (area under curve = 0.96 vs 0.55, P < .03). CONCLUSION: These data indicate that PET metabolic imaging, as compared with anatomic methods, has improved diagnostic accuracy for recurrent head and neck cancer.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)135-141
Number of pages7
JournalRadiology
Volume200
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Jul 1996

Keywords

  • Emission CT (ECT), comparative studies
  • Gadolinium
  • Head and neck neoplasms, CT
  • Head and neck neoplasms, MR
  • Head and neck neoplasms, emission CT (ECT)

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Recurrence of head and neck cancer after surgery or irradiation: Prospective comparison of 2-deoxy-2-[F-18]fluoro-D-glucose PET and MR imaging diagnoses'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this