淋巴显像法与染料法示踪喉癌和下咽癌前哨淋巴结的对比研究

目的 探讨淋巴显像法与生物活性染料定位法示踪cNO期喉癌和下咽癌前哨淋巴结(sentinel lymph node,SLN)在头颈部肿瘤治疗中的价值.方法 40例cNO喉癌患者和10例cNO下咽癌患者,术前于喉镜引导下注射~(99)Tc~m-硫胶体,使用单光子发射型计算机断层扫描仪(single photon emission computed tomography,SPECT)和CT进行颈淋巴显像;同时术中用γ探针探测放射性"热点".手术中注射亚甲蓝,示踪蓝染的SLN.SLN全部被切除后,行肿瘤切除加颈淋巴清扫术,所有淋巴结送常规病理检查.结果 运用淋巴显像法35例喉癌和6例下咽癌患者检出SLN,检出率为82.0%(41/50).运用生物活性染料定位法29例喉癌和4例下咽癌患者示踪SLN,检出率为66.0%(33/50),两种方法的检出率差异有统计学意义(χ~2=2.769,P<0.05).SLN的检出数目分别为96枚和83枚(χ~2=2.098,P<0.05),灵敏度分别为83.3%和66.7%.本组50例患者中,12例患者常规病理检查有淋巴转移,占24.0%.结论 淋巴显像法和染料法均可示踪cNO期喉癌和下咽癌的前哨淋巴结.淋巴显像法不仅术前可进行前哨淋巴结的定位,而且较染料法具有较高的检出率和灵敏度.     

正电子发射计算机断层-CT融合显像在头颈肿瘤中的诊断价值

目的　探讨18氟 脱氧葡萄糖 (18 fluorinefluorodeoxyglucose ,18F FDG)正电子发射计算机断层显像 (positronemissiontomography ,PET) CT融合显像在头颈肿瘤的原发灶诊断、复发的检测和诊断分析未知原发肿瘤转移癌中的诊断价值。方法　 2 7例已确诊头颈部原发肿瘤或转移癌 ,进行18F FDGPET CT全身显像 ,并与临床资料对照。结果　鼻咽癌组治疗前 4例PET CT均查出原发灶 ,其中 2例确诊有颈淋巴结转移 ,与病理检查结果一致。鼻咽癌放疗后 12例中 4例PET CT检查鼻咽部及颈部淋巴结均为阴性表现 ,符合临床和病理诊断 ;2例放疗后原发灶复发经病理检查证实 ,其中 1例查出颈部淋巴结及全身多处转移经随访证实 ;6例鼻咽原发灶PET CT检查阴性表现 ,但 4例颈部显示淋巴结转移经病理检查证实 ,2例肺部、纵隔等有转移灶未经病理检查证实。未知原发肿瘤颈淋巴转移组4例患者PET CT均检出原发灶 ,3例病理检查证实 ,另 1例未经病理检查证实。其他头颈肿瘤组 7例治疗后患者中 ,2例患者无复发转移表现 ,5例不同部位肿瘤检出原发部位复发或颈淋巴结转移 ,有 4例经病理检查证实 ,1例放弃治疗未经病理检查证实。结论　18F FDGPET CT将PET提供的肿瘤代谢图像和CT提供的解剖图像结合 ,对头颈原发肿瘤诊断 ,检测治疗后肿瘤复发     

正电子发射计算机断层和CT融合显像诊断颈淋巴结转移癌

目的探讨18F-脱氧葡萄糖(18-Fluorine Fluorodeoxyglucose,FDG)正电子发射计算机断层显像(Positron Emission Tomography,PET)-CT融合显像在颈淋巴结转移癌中的诊断价值。方法17例颈部肿块病人,CT或MRI发现可疑病变28处,其中鼻咽癌放射治疗后6例,肺癌治疗后3例,甲状腺癌手术后3例,下咽癌放疗后1例,不明原发灶4例,行全身或颈部PET-CT检查,其结果与临床病理报告对照。结果17例患者,共28处PET-CT显像阳性20例,阴性8例;对照病理结果,假阳性1例,假阴性1例,18F-FDGPET-CT诊断颈淋巴结转移癌的灵敏度、特异性、准确度分别为95.0%,87.5%,92.9%。结论18F-FDGPET-CT结合PET提供肿瘤代谢图像,CT提供解剖图像,在颈淋巴结转移癌的诊断及监测复发方面具有较大的临床价值。     

喉癌术后生存率相关因素的研究进展

喉癌占头颈部恶性肿瘤的13.9%,仅次于鼻咽癌、鼻腔癌而位于第3位,南方发病率较北方低.喉癌的病理类型以鳞状细胞癌最常见,腺癌、肉瘤及其他类型只占极少数.     

下咽癌肉瘤临床病理特征的研究

目的:探讨下咽癌肉瘤的临床病理学特征、诊断和鉴别诊断。方法:报道1例经病理证实的下咽癌肉瘤患者的临床资料,结合文献复习进行分析。结果:患者通过手术切除病变,病理检查证实为鳞状细胞癌横纹肌肉瘤,术后行放化疗,恢复良好,随访18个月无复发。结论:下咽癌肉瘤是一种极为罕见的恶性肿瘤,具有特征性的组织病理学、免疫组织化学及临床特点,需与肉瘤样癌、喉癌的放疗反应等相鉴别。下咽癌肉瘤的治疗应首选手术切除。对局部晚期、术后残留、肉眼切除范围欠安全的头颈部癌肉瘤患者应行放疗并及时随访。     

喉癌、下咽癌组织中环氧化酶-2的表达与临床意义

目的研究喉癌、下咽癌中环氧化酶-2(COX-2)的表达与肿瘤临床病理参数及肿瘤预后的关系.方法应用免疫组化法检测喉癌、下咽癌组织及声带息肉组织中COX-1和COX-2的表达,并分析癌组织中COX的表达强度与肿瘤对应的各项病理参数及与预后的关系.结果喉癌、下咽癌组COX-2阳性表达率为67.5%(27/40),声带息肉组COX-2阳性表达率为0(0/30),COX-2的阳性表达与肿瘤的临床分期、病理分级及预后有关,与淋巴结转移关系不明显.结论COX-2在喉癌、下咽癌组织中表达增高,并与肿瘤的恶性度相关,表明COX-2可能在喉癌、下咽癌的发生发展中起重要的作用.     

CT多平面重建技术在鼻咽癌早期诊断及复发诊断中的应用价值研究

目的　研究多层螺旋CT（multislice spiral CT,MSCT）多平面重建（multiplanar reformation,MPR）技术在鼻咽癌早期诊断和复发诊断中的应用价值。方法　选取2016年1月～2018年12月于杭州市西溪医院、浙江大学医学院附属第二医院就诊的142例拟诊断为鼻咽癌患者进行回顾性分析,患者均行MSCT检查和病理检查。经病理学检查确诊早期鼻咽癌106例,以病理检查作为“金标准”,比较普通MSCT、MSCT MPR诊断早期鼻咽癌与病理检查一致性,普通MSCT与MSCT MPR诊断早期鼻咽癌的灵敏度和特异度。随访106例鼻咽癌患者,经病理学确诊复发40例。然后比较普通MSCT、MSCT MPR诊断鼻咽癌复发与病理检查一致性,普通MSCT与MSCT MPR诊断鼻咽 癌复发的灵敏度和特异度。结果　一致性分析显示,普通MSCT、MSCT MPR诊断早期鼻咽癌与病理结果一致性分别为中和优（κ =0.541、0.873,P 均＜0.001）,普通MSCT、DOI: 10.16066/j.1672-7002.2020.08.013MSCT MPR诊断鼻咽癌复发与病理结果一致性分别为中和良（κ =0.404、0.727,P 均＜0.001）。普通MSCT诊断早期 鼻咽癌的灵敏度和特异度为84.90%和72.22%,诊断鼻咽癌复发的灵敏度和特异度为72.50%和69.70%,MSCT MPR诊断早期鼻咽癌的灵敏度和特异度为95.28%和94.44%,诊断鼻咽癌复发的灵敏度和特异度为90.00%和84.85%,MSCTMPR诊断早期鼻咽癌和复发的灵敏度和特异度均高于普通MSCT,组间差异均有统计学意义（P 均＜0.05）。结论  结合MPR可以提高MSCT对鼻咽癌早期诊断价值,并提高其对鼻咽癌复发的诊断价值。     

下咽癌和喉癌的多重癌

对下咽，喉鳞癌患者的多重癌实况进行回顾性调查。方法 对１９８０年－１９９５年１６年间头颈部外科受诊者下咽癌１２５例，喉癌１８４例进行了分析，其中男２７６例，女３３例。结果３０９例患者中７９例发生多重癌。多重癌发生部位共１０１处，其中１７例三重癌，１例四重癌，的多重癌以食管癌和胃癌居多；喉癌，尤以声门型喉癌的多重癌以肺癌为主，声门上型喉癌的口咽，食管和胃多重癌的发生率较声门型喉癌为高。     

可溶性肿瘤坏死因子受体I在头颈肿瘤患者中的表达及意义

目的研究可溶性肿瘤坏死因子受体I(soluble tumor necrosis factor receptor,sTNFR-I)在头颈部肿瘤患者中的表达及临床意义.方法采用酶联免疫吸附法(enzyme linked immuno sorbent assay,ELISA),检测南京医科大学第一附属医院1997年2月～2000年4月160例头颈部恶性肿瘤患者(其中恶性淋巴瘤12例,鼻咽癌62例,喉癌56例,下咽癌22例,上颌窦癌3例,甲状腺瘤癌5例)血清sTNFR-I的水平(IU/ml,     

头颈部多原发癌68例临床分析

目的 探讨头颈部多原发癌(MPC)的发病情况、临床特征及治疗预后。 方法 对2014年1月1日至2017年12月31日收治的68例MPC的临床资料进行回顾性分析,采用SPSS 21.0软件进行统计学分析。 结果 在福建医科大学附属第二医院耳鼻咽喉科同期收治的8758例患者中有恶性肿瘤648例,其中有68例多原发癌,占比为0.78%。自2014年至2017年多原发癌年占比依次为:0.72%、0.72%、0.77%、0.86%。多原发癌组中男61例、女7例,其男女比例较单原发癌组高(χ2=8.18, P=0.004)。二重癌62例、三重癌6例。同时性MPC 35例、异时性MPC 33例。44例患者既往有吸烟/饮酒史,男性吸烟饮酒事件明显高于女性(χ2=6.40, P=0.006)。下咽癌的多原发癌发病率(23.81%)最高,其次为口腔癌(14.71%)、喉癌(9.33%)。口腔癌、下咽癌和喉癌最常见的第二原发癌均为食管癌。有45例(66.18%)第二癌与首发癌间隔时间小于5年。22例患者曾行放化疗,有放化疗史的多原发癌患者中异时性更多见(χ2=18.64, P<0.001)。 结论 发生MPC概率最高的头颈部肿瘤依次为下咽癌、口腔癌、喉癌。头颈部MPC并发食管癌等上消化道肿瘤的可能性大,故对头颈部肿瘤患者,建议将电子胃镜检查列为常规的术前检查及术后定期的随访检查手段;应加强首发癌治疗后长期,尤其前5年的密切随访。放疗过程中要加强对靶器官外的组织器官的放射防护。     

Positron emission tomography with fluorodeoxyglucose for suspected head and neck tumor recurrence in the symptomatic patient

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the impact of positron emission tomography with fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG-PET) in the treatment of patients suspected of having head and neck cancer recurrence. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective and consecutive inclusion of 44 patients presenting with clinical symptoms suggestive of head and neck tumor recurrence. METHODS: FDG-PET was compared with combined computed tomography (CT) plus magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) procedures for the differential diagnosis between tumor recurrence and benign post-therapeutic changes. For FDG-PET, the potential additional value of semiquantitative indexes was studied. The impact on patient treatment (i.e., their ability to accurately select patients for panendoscopic exploration) was analyzed retrospectively for both CT+MRI and PET workups. RESULTS: The diagnostic accuracy was found higher for PET than for combined CT+MRI: sensitivity ranged from 96% to 73%, specificity from 61% to 50%, and accuracy from 81% to 64% for PET and CT+MRI, respectively. The accuracy of FDG-PET was the highest (94%) in patients included more than 12 weeks after the end of therapy. In 15 discordant cases, PET was correct in 11 and CT+MRI in 4. Patient selection for panendoscopic exploration and biopsy was correct in 79% and 50% of patients with FDG-PET and CT+MRI, respectively. Quantification of FDG uptake had no additional value over visual analysis alone, although we found that a SUVlbm (standardized uptake value corrected for lean body mass) threshold of 3 could be helpful in patients scanned less than 12 weeks after the end of therapy. CONCLUSION: FDG-PET has a major additional diagnostic value to CT+MRI for the evaluation of the symptomatic patient suspected of having head and neck cancer recurrence. PET could have a direct impact on management by correctly selecting patients in whom a panendoscopic exploration with biopsy is indicated.     

Lymph node detection of head and neck squamous cell carcinomas by positron emission tomography with fluorodeoxyglucose F 18 in a routine clinical setting

BACKGROUND: Accurate determination of lymph node involvement is a prerequisite for individualized therapy in patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck region. In a previous study, we showed that positron emission tomography (PET) with fluorodeoxyglucose F 18 with and without attenuation correction is superior to magnetic resonance imaging for this purpose in a scientific setting. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of a shortened PET protocol (acquisition time, 20 minutes) in a routine clinical setting. DESIGN: The results of static, nonattenuation-corrected PET performed on patients in 2 bed positions starting 40 minutes after the intravenous injection of 370 MBq of fluorodeoxyglucose F 18 and the results of morphologic procedures (computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging) were compared prospectively in 70 patients for lymph node staging. Postoperative pathologic findings served as a criterion standard. SETTING: An academic medical center. RESULTS: The diagnostic accuracy of PET for detecting "neck sides" with malignant involvement was superior to morphologic procedures, with a sensitivity and specificity of 87% and 94%, respectively, compared with computed tomographic values of 65% and 47% and magnetic resonance imaging values of 88% and 41%, respectively. CONCLUSION: A short PET protocol that is suitable for routine clinical use is superior to morphologic procedures (computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging) for the detection of lymph node involvement in head and neck squamous cell carcinomas.     

Positron emission tomography in the evaluation of synchronous lung lesions in patients with untreated head and neck cancer

BACKGROUND: Positron emission tomography (PET) with the glucose analogue fludeoxyglucose F 18 uses the increased glucose uptake that is observed in neoplastic cells. It can differentiate between benign and malignant pulmonary lesions in patients with lung tumors. Applications of PET in extracranial head and neck neoplasms have included evaluating patients with unknown primary lesions, detecting primary and recurrent head and neck tumors, monitoring response to radiotherapy, and evaluating the N0 neck in oral cavity carcinomas. Its role in determining the presence of synchronous lung lesions has not been defined. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A retrospective review of 115 patients who underwent PET between October 1994 and October 1996 was performed to evaluate extracranial head and neck neoplasms. Fifty-nine (51%) previously untreated patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the upper aerodigestive tract were analyzed. RESULTS: Fifteen patients (25%) had PET scans that were positive for synchronous lung lesions. Five patients had a disease process that did not warrant further investigation; they did not have pathological confirmation of their lung lesions. Of these, 3 died of disease within 2 months of the diagnosis of primary head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, 1 was unavailable for follow-up, and 1 had lung lesions that were considered metastatic and no pathological confirmation of lung lesions was obtained. The remaining 10 patients with positive PET scan findings were investigated further: 8 patients had biopsy-confirmed lung lesions; 5 patients had positive findings on chest x-ray films; 8 had positive findings on computed tomographic scans; and 3 had positive findings on bronchoscopy. The results of 2 PET scans were false-positive. The PET scans were important in altering treatment in 3 patients; of these, 3 had negative findings on chest x-ray films, 2 had positive findings on computed tomographic scans, and 1 had positive findings on bronchoscopy. CONCLUSIONS: The overall sensitivity, positive predictive value, and accuracy of PET were 100%, 80%, and 80%, respectively. The overall accuracy of radiography of the chest, computed tomography of the chest, and bronchoscopy was 70%, 90%, and 50%, respectively. The accuracy of PET over bronchoscopy was statistically significant (P<.05). PET appears to be a promising imaging modality for the detection of synchronous lung lesions in patients with negative findings on chest x-ray films.     

Diagnosis and staging of head and neck cancer: a comparison of modern imaging modalities (positron emission tomography, computed tomography, color-coded duplex sonography) with panendoscopic and histopathologic findings

OBJECTIVE: To compare the clinical value of positron emission tomography (PET) using fludeoxyglucose F 18, computed tomography (CT), color-coded duplex sonography (CCDS), and panendoscopy in the detection and staging of head and neck cancer. DESIGN: Prospective nonrandomized controlled study. SETTING: Medical school. PATIENTS: Convenience sample of 50 patients with suspected primary or recurrent head and neck cancer. INTERVENTION: Biopsy, tumor surgery. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Information of diagnostic procedures compared with histopathologic features. RESULTS: Both PET and panendoscopy had a sensitivity of 95% and 100% for detection of primary tumor or recurrent carcinomas, respectively. Specificity for PET and panendoscopy was 92% and 85% in primary tumors and 100% and 80% in recurrent carcinoma, respectively. Sensitivity of CCDS and CT was 74% and 68% in primary tumors and 67% and 63% in recurrent carcinomas, respectively. Specificity was 75% and 69% in primary tumors and 100% and 80% in recurrent neoplasms. When assessing neck nodes, all imaging procedures exhibited identical sensitivity (84%). Specificity was 90%, 96%, and 88% in PET, CT, and CCDS, respectively. In recurrent lymph node metastases, sensitivity was 100%, 67%, and 67% and specificity was 87%, 91%, and 87% for PET, CT, and CCDS, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Positron emission tomography was the most reliable imaging procedure in the detection of primary tumor and recurrent carcinomas localized in the head and neck region. Owing to its limited anatomical depiction, it cannot as yet replace other diagnostic procedures in preoperative planning but does contribute valuable complementary diagnostic information. Computed tomograpy may have difficulties in identifying recurrent carcinomas. For routine diagnosis of nodal spread in the neck, CCDS is recommended. Panendoscopy is a valuable diagnostic procedure that can provide key information in cases of superficial mucosal tumor involvement. Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2000;126:1457-1461     

脱氧葡萄糖-正电子发射计算机断层显像对颈淋巴结转移癌的诊断价值

目的：探讨脱氧葡萄糖-正电子发射计算机断层[^18F-FDG-PET／CT（PET／CT）]融合显像对颈淋巴结转移癌的诊断价值。方法：对照颈淋巴结清扫术后病理结果,回顾性对比分析20例头颈癌患者颈部正电子发射断层（PET）、CT及PET／CT资料。结果：PET对颈淋巴结转移癌的诊断敏感性、特异性及准确度分别为92.3％、85.7％、90.0％,CT分别为77.0％、57.1％、70.0％,PET／CT分别为92.3％、100.0％、95.0％,PET／CT的诊断准确度显著高于CT（P〈0．05）、略优于PET。13例鼻咽癌放疗后患者,CT诊断正确7例,PET／CT诊断正确12例。7例N。患者颈淋巴结清扫术后病理证实4例存在颈淋巴结转移,术前PET／CT均诊断正确。结论：PET／CT融合显像对颈淋巴结转移癌的诊断价值优于单独的PET及CT,尤其对于治疗后的患者,其诊断优势更加突出,有望作为是否需行颈淋巴结清扫术的指征。     

Use of 18F-Fluorodeoxyglucose Positron Emission Tomography in Patients with Rare Head and Neck Cancers

Objectives

The clinical utility of ¹⁸F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) has been demonstrated in major head and neck cancers (HNCs) but is unclear in rare HNCs. We therefore evaluated FDG PET in the management of patients with rare HNCs.

Methods

FDG PET and CT/MRI scanning were performed at the initial staging and/or the follow-up in 24 patients with rare HNCs, 10 with melanoma, 9 with sarcoma, 3 with olfactory neuroblastomas, and 2 with basal cell carcinoma. The diagnostic accuracy of CT and FDG PET for detecting primary tumors and metastases were compared with a histopathologic reference. The association between the PET results and the clinicopathologic parameters predicting tumor invasion, histologic grade and disease-free survival (DFS), was assessed.

Results

The overall accuracies of FDG PET and CT/MRI were 92% and 79%, respectively, for detecting primary tumors and 91% and 74%, respectively, for nodal metastases, but the differences were not significant due to the small number of patients. The sensitivity and specificity of FDG PET for detecting distant metastases and second primary tumors were 100% and 87%, respectively. Follow-up FDG PET correctly diagnosed locoregional recurrence in all 12 patients, as shown by biopsy, and distant metastases in 6 patients. However, thickness of melanoma, histologic grade of sarcoma, and DFS were not associated with tumor FDG uptake.

Conclusion

FDG PET may be useful for staging, posttreatment monitoring, and detection of distant metastases and second primary tumors in patients with rare HNCs.     

Positron-emission tomography for surveillance of head and neck cancer

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS: To determine the diagnostic accuracy and the ideal timing of fluoro-fluorodeoxyglucose positron-emission tomography (PET) in the posttreatment surveillance of head and neck mucosal squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective chart review. METHODS: Our sample includes 103 adult patients with 118 posttreatment PET scans who had undergone treatment for HNSCC. We correlated PET results with surgical pathology and clinical outcome in the subsequent 6 months. RESULTS: For the detection of locoregional persistent or recurrent HNSCC, PET scans had a sensitivity of 82%, specificity of 92%, positive predictive value (PPV) of 64%, negative predictive value (NPV) of 97%, and overall accuracy of 90%. For the detection of distant metastases, PET scans had a sensitivity of 89%, specificity of 97%, PPV of 85%, NPV of 98%, and overall accuracy of 96%. PET scans of the head and neck region performed greater than 1 month after the completion of radiation compared with scans performed within 1 month had a significantly higher sensitivity of 95% versus 55% (P < .01) and NPV of 99% versus 90% (P < .01). CONCLUSION: PET is effective in detecting distant metastases in the posttreatment surveillance for HNSCC patients. A negative PET is highly reliable for all sites. However, a positive PET in the head and neck region is unreliable because of a high false-positivity rate. PET of the head and neck region has a statistically significant risk of a false-negative reading when performed within 1 month of radiation.     

The value of PET/CT to assess clinically negative necks

The aim was to evaluate the efficacy of [¹⁸F]-2-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) in evaluating metastasis of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) to the cervical lymph nodes, with specific attention to the efficacy in regard to clinically negative necks. This was a retrospective review of 243 patients with HNSCC between years 2005 and 2007 treated at a comprehensive cancer care institution who underwent pre-operative PET/CT and neck dissection with either an N0 (112 patients) or N+ (131 patients) clinical nodal status. PET/CT findings were correlated with histopathological results of surgical specimens. A majority of the primary sites were oral cavity and oropharynx (70%), followed by larynx, unknown primary and hypopharynx. In the group of 112 patients who underwent 144 neck dissections with N0 nodal status, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive (NPV) and accuracy were 57, 82, 59, 80 and 74%, respectively. In the group of 131 patients who underwent 169 neck dissections with N+ nodal status, sensitivity, specificity, PPV, NPV and accuracy were 93, 70, 96, 58 and 91%, respectively. PET/CT has a much reduced rate of efficacy for the clinically negative neck compared to the clinically positive neck. PET/CT in its current stage does not appear to offer an advantage in staging the clinically N0 neck due to high rates of false positives and negatives.     

Results of pretherapeutic lymph node diagnosis in head and neck tumors. Clinical value of 18-FDG positron emission tomography (PET)

BACKGROUND: Histological studies demonstrate that there is a high percentage of occult nodal metastasis in head and neck malignomas. Patients with positive lymph nodes have a comparatively worse prognosis. A neck dissection is required in these cases. By demonstrating morphological abnormalities, imaging procedures like ultrasound, computer tomography (CT), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can provide important initial informations about possible malignant alteration of the lymph nodes. Positron emission tomography (PET) allows functional metabolic imaging of a suspected tumor site. The aim of this study was a comparative evaluation of different diagnostic procedures with special emphasis on the value of PET in the pretherapeutic diagnosis of nodal spread in head and neck cancer. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Forty patients (28 male and 12 female) with a suspected malignoma in the head and neck region underwent clinical examination including palpation of the neck sides, ultrasound, CT, and PET to detect a nodal spread of the malignancy. Fifty neck dissections were performed in 28 patients. Lymph node biopsies were performed in the remaining patients. The results of the diagnostic procedures were compared to the histology and the clinical course of the patients. The mean follow-up period was 12.5 months. RESULTS: A nodal metastasis was verified in 35% of all cases. Sensitivity of all imaging procedures including PET was 82%. Palpation had a sensitivity of only 61%. Specificity was 85% for ultrasound, 94% for CT and palpation, and 87% for PET. PET produced false negative results in 13.4% of all cases. Inflammation was detected in these cases. The positive predictive value was marginally better for PET than for ultrasound (77% vs. 75%). It proved to be lower than the values for palpation (86%) and CT (88%). Negative predictive value was 90-91% for all imaging procedures. CONCLUSION: In the primary diagnosis of nodal alterations in the head and neck region, a PET scan has the same diagnostic value as ultrasound or CT. By imaging the metabolism of a suspected nodal metastasis, PET can help to improve the assessment of regions with uncertain anatomic features. To avoid false positive results, acute and chronic inflammatory alterations have to be ruled out before the PET imaging.     

Clinical value of 18FDG PET/CT in screening for distant metastases in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma

Objectives

The detection of distant metastases is of major importance in management of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma patients.

Design

All patients underwent ¹⁸FDG PET/CT for the detection of distant metastases.

Setting

Retrospective single‐centre study.

Participants

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma patients with high‐risk factors for distant metastases.

Main outcome measures

Accuracy of ¹⁸FDG PET/CT for the detection of distant metastases using clinical development of distant metastases and a minimal follow‐up of twelve months as reference standard. Comparison of overall survival between patients diagnosed with distant metastases during initial screening and patients diagnosed with distant metastases during follow‐up.

Results

In 23 (12%) of the 190 patients, ¹⁸FDG PET/CT detected distant metastases at screening. Sensitivity and negative predictive value were 46.2% (95% CI 32.6‐59.7) and 82.6% (95% CI 76.8‐88.5). No difference in median overall survival from the time of distant metastases detection was found between patients diagnosed with DM during work‐up or during follow‐up.

Conclusions

In head and neck squamous cell carcinoma patients with high‐risk factors, ¹⁸FDG PET/CT has a high negative predictive value for the detection of distant metastases and should be used in daily clinical practice, although the sensitivity is limited when long‐term follow‐up is used as reference standard.