Abstract
SUMMARY: The hybrid technique of PET/CT has significantly impacted the imaging and management of HNSCC since its introduction in 2001 and has become the technique of choice for imaging of this cancer. Diagnostic FDG-PET/CT is useful for identification of an unknown primary tumor, delineation of extent of primary tumor, detection of regional lymph node involvement even in a normal-sized node, detection of distant metastases and occasional synchronous primary tumor, assessment of therapy response, and long-term surveillance for recurrence and metastases. The role of PET/CT is evolving in radiation therapy planning. Combined diagnostic PET/CT provides the best anatomic and metabolic in vivo information for the comprehensive management of HNSCC.
Abbreviations
- CR
- complete response
- DCT
- contrast enhanced diagnostic CT
- 18F
- fluorine-18
- FDG
- fluorodeoxyglucose
- FDG-PET
- fluorodeoxyglucose–positron-emission tomography
- FNA
- fine-needle aspiration
- GTV
- gross tumor volume
- HNSCC
- head and neck squamous cell carcinomas
- IMRT
- intensity modulated radiation therapy
- M
- metastasis
- N
- node
- PET
- positron-emission tomography
- PTV
- planning target volume
- RD
- residual disease
- SCC
- squamous cell carcinoma
- SUV
- standard uptake value
- SUVmax
- maximum SUV
- T
- tumor
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