Related Experiment Video For PET/CT
Updated: Jul 16, 2025
Gene Regulation and Targeted Therapy in Gastric Cancer Peritoneal Metastasis: Radiological Findings from Dual Energy CT and PET/CT
Published on: January 22, 2018
Importance of PET/CT in Initial Workup of Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Ryan N Hellums1, Priscilla F A Pichardo1, Kenneth W Altman1
1Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Facial Plastic Surgery Geisinger Medical Center Danville Pennsylvania USA.
Objective:
Assess the impact of positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) on disease staging at presentation in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.
Study Design:
Retrospective cross-sectional review.
Setting:
Academic multicenter single institution (Geisinger Health System).
Methods:
All patients who had PET/CT imaging during workup for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma were included in the study. Pre- and post-PET/CT clinical staging were recorded. Statistical analyses were performed for patients with a change in clinical staging or detection of second primary malignancies on PET/CT.
Results:
A total of 292 patients were included in the study, 238 of whom underwent PET/CT imaging as part of their initial workup. Twenty-eight (11.9%) patients were clinically upstaged on PET/CT with 7 patients having treatment alterations based on imaging. Eighteen (7.6%) patients were found to have second primary malignancies on PET/CT.
Conclusion:
The current study further illustrates the importance of PET/CT in the workup of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Without the inclusion of PET/CT imaging, 19.3% of patients would have either been staged inappropriately or had second primary malignancies missed, again confirming the necessity of comprehensive functional imaging during the initial pretreatment workup.
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