American Journal of Neuroradiology 25:1425-1432, September 2004
© 2004 American Society of Neuroradiology
HEAD AND NECK
Clinical Applications of Tumor Volume Measurements for Predicting Outcome in Patients with Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Upper Aerodigestive Tract
a Departments of Radiology and Otolaryngology Head Neck Surgery, University of Michigan Health Systems, Ann Arbor, Gainesville, FL
b the Department of Radiology, University of Florida School of Medicine, Gainesville, FL
c the Department of Radiology, Free University, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
Address reprint requests to Suresh K. Mukherji, MD, Department of Radiology, B2B3110030, University of Michigan Health Systems 1500 E. Medical Center Drive, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-0030
Abstract
Gross tumor volume (GTV) at the primary site, as derived from pretreatment CT findings, can help predict local control of squamous cell carcinoma at different head and neck subsites after treatment with nonsurgical organ preservation. Local recurrence is more likely with large tumors than with small lesions in the same anatomic subsite, and GTV is often more strongly associated with local control than is tumor stage. This review discusses tumor volume calculationtechnique, current literature, and potential clinical applicationsand aims to help the reader to understand the role of GTV calculations and to integrate this knowledge into clinical practice.