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European Journal of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging
Published in: European Journal of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging 12/2007

01-12-2007 | Original Article

TNM staging with FDG-PET/CT in patients with primary head and neck cancer

Authors: Patrick Veit-Haibach, Christopher Luczak, Isabel Wanke, Markus Fischer, Thomas Egelhof, Thomas Beyer, Gerlinde Dahmen, Andreas Bockisch, Sandra Rosenbaum, Gerald Antoch

Published in: European Journal of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging | Issue 12/2007

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Abstract

Purpose

PET/CT, PET+CT, and CT were compared concerning accuracies in TNM staging and malignancy detection in head and neck cancer. The impact of PET/CT compared to the other imaging modalities on therapy management was assessed.

Materials and methods

Fifty-five patients with suspected head and neck primary cancer underwent whole-body FDG-PET/CT. PET/CT and PET+CT were evaluated by a nuclear medicine physician and a radiologist; CT was evaluated by two radiologists, PET by two nuclear physicians. Histopathology served as the standard of reference. Differences between the staging modalities were tested for statistical significance by McNemar’s test.

Results

Overall TNM-staging and T-staging with PET/CT were more accurate than PET+CT and CT alone (p < 0.05). PET/CT was marginally more accurate than CT alone in N-staging (p = 0.04); no statistically significant difference was found when compared to PET+CT for N-staging. PET/CT altered further treatment in 13 patients compared to CT only and in 7 patients compared to PET+CT.

Conclusion

Combined PET/CT proved to be partly more accurate in assessing the overall TNM-stage than CT and PET+CT. These results were based on a higher accuracy concerning the T-stage, mainly in patients with metallic implants and marginally the N-stage. Therapy decisions have been influenced in a substantial number of patients. PET/CT might be considered as a first line diagnostic tool in patients with suspected primary head and neck cancer.
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Metadata
Title
TNM staging with FDG-PET/CT in patients with primary head and neck cancer
Authors
Patrick Veit-Haibach
Christopher Luczak
Isabel Wanke
Markus Fischer
Thomas Egelhof
Thomas Beyer
Gerlinde Dahmen
Andreas Bockisch
Sandra Rosenbaum
Gerald Antoch
Publication date
01-12-2007
Publisher
Springer-Verlag
Published in
European Journal of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging / Issue 12/2007
Print ISSN: 1619-7070
Electronic ISSN: 1619-7089
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00259-007-0564-5

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