Abstract.
Accurate assessment of tumour extent and lymph node involvement in squamous cell carcinomas of the head and neck region is essential for therapy planning. Unfortunately, conventional diagnostic examination and imaging techniques, which monitor tumours on the basis of anatomical parameters, have drawbacks in clinical practice. The aim of this study was to investigate the feasibility of L-[1-11C]-tyrosine (TYR) positron emission tomography (PET) for visualisation of squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx and hypopharynx and quantification of tumour activity by assessment of protein synthesis rate (PSR). Dynamic TYR PET was performed on 31 patients with T1–T4 laryngeal or hypopharyngeal carcinoma before therapy. Plasma activity of TYR, 11CO2 and 11C-protein levels were measured, and PSRs were calculated for primary malignancies. All 31 laryngeal and hypopharyngeal tumours were visualised as a hotspot (sensitivity 100%). The median PSR of the tumours (2.06 nmol ml–1 min–1; range 0.72–6.96) was significantly higher (P<0.001) than that of non-tumour (background) tissue (0.51 nmol ml–1 min–1; range 0.22–0.89). L-[1-11C]-Tyrosine PET appears to be a potential method for visualisation of primary laryngeal and hypopharyngeal tumours. In vivo quantification of tumour activity by assessment of PSR is possible and may have a future role in the therapy planning and therapy evaluation of laryngeal and hypopharyngeal tumours.
Similar content being viewed by others
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Received 26 January and in revised form 19 April 2002
Electronic Publication
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
de Boer, J.R., van der Laan, B.F., Pruim, J. et al. Carbon-11 tyrosine PET for visualization and protein synthesis rate assessment of laryngeal and hypopharyngeal carcinomas. Eur J Nucl Med 29, 1182–1187 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00259-002-0863-9
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00259-002-0863-9