Use of FDG PET for Staging and Re-Staging of Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Head and neck cancers account for approximately 3.0% of all new cancer diagnoses. 18F-FDG PET/CT plays an important role in the initial staging of these cancers, especially in the detection of nodal and distant metastatic disease, outperforming conventional imaging techniques. It helps identify occult primary tumors and synchronous second primary malignancies. PET/CT findings can lead to treatment plan alterations both in surgical and primary or adjuvant chemoradiation plans. High negative predictive value at treatment response assessment provides valuable prognostic implications. PET/CT can predict outcomes at baseline and during or after treatment.