PET/Computed Tomography: Post-therapy Follow-up in Head and Neck Cancer

PET/computed tomography (CT) is a valuable tool in post-therapy follow-up of head and neck cancers. PET/CT is sensitive and specific, can detect recurrences that otherwise may be missed on routine clinical examination or conventional imaging, and also can have an impact on patient management. National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines recommend PET/CT be performed within 3 months to 6 months after therapy. After this baseline scan, however, further routine PET/CT surveillance in asymptomatic patients has unclear benefit. Additional post-therapy PET/CT imaging should be individualized to patients based on considerations such as tumor type, stage, prognostic factors, symptoms, and clinical assessment.