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The Role of PET/CT with 18F-FDG in the Assessment of Therapeutic Response of Head and Neck Cancer

  • PET/CT Imaging (R Morgado, Section Editor)
  • Published:
Current Radiology Reports Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose of Review

To make a brief review on the pre-treatment evaluation of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) with positron emission tomography/computed tomography with 18F-Fluoro-deoxy-glucose (18F-FDG PET/CT) and to discuss the use of this method after treatment, with emphasis on the evaluation of therapeutic response.

Recent Findings

The 18F-FDG PET/CT pre-treatment evaluation is recommended at III–IV staging to determine metastasis foci. At post-evaluation, the use of 18F-FDG PET/CT is very important to confirm the therapeutic response based on its high negative predictive value (NPV), mostly when it is made after 12 weeks the last radiotherapy dose. Specific imaging criteria aid in the detection of active tumor lesions. Moreover, the 18F-FDG PET/CT can determine early failure treatment and overall survival and progression-free survival. Recently, the 18F-FDG PET/CT surveillance was showed an important tool to follow up HNSCC patients with stage N2 or N3 disease.

Summary

The 18F-FDG PET/CT is essential in the management of HNSCC, mainly at post-treatment evaluation. Its findings can determine a complementary therapy or even avoid an aggressive and unnecessary approach. So, careful analysis using imaging interpretation criteria has been central to an accurate assessment of HNSCC patients.

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Abbreviations

CT:

Computed tomography

FDG:

18F-Fluoro-deoxy-glucose

HNC:

Head and neck cancer

HNSCC:

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma

HPV:

Human papillomavirus

MRI:

Magnetic resonance imaging

NPV:

Negative predictive value

PPV:

Positive predictive value

PET:

Positron emission tomography

SUV:

Standard uptake value

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departamento de Medicina Nuclear, Hospital de Câncer de Barretos – Fundação Pio XII, Rua. Antenor Duarte Vilela, 1331, Barretos, SP, CEP: 14784-700, Brazil

    Wilson Eduardo Furlan Matos Alves & Euclides Timoteo da Rocha

  2. Seção de Medicina Nuclear, Hospital das Clínicas – FMRP – USP, Av. Bandeirantes, 3900, Ribeirão Preto, SP, CEP: 14048-900, Brazil

    Felipe Arriva Pitella & Lauro Wichert-Ana

Authors
  1. Wilson Eduardo Furlan Matos Alves
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  2. Felipe Arriva Pitella
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  3. Euclides Timoteo da Rocha
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  4. Lauro Wichert-Ana
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Contributions

WEFMA, FAP, and ETR designed the research. LWA had primary responsibility for final content. All authors contributed towards, read and approved the final manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Wilson Eduardo Furlan Matos Alves.

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Conflict of interest

Wilson Eduardo Furlan Matos Alves, Felipe Arriva Pitella, Euclides Timoteo da Rocha, and Lauro Wichert-Ana each declare no potential conflicts of interest.

Human and Animal Rights and Informed Consent

This article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects performed by any of the authors.

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This article is part of the Topical collection on PET/CT Imaging.

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Alves, W.E.F.M., Pitella, F.A., da Rocha, E.T. et al. The Role of PET/CT with 18F-FDG in the Assessment of Therapeutic Response of Head and Neck Cancer. Curr Radiol Rep 6, 9 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40134-018-0264-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40134-018-0264-x

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