USEFULNESS OF FLUORINE-18 FLUORODEOXYGLUCOSE POSITRON EMISSION TOMOGRAPHY IN PATIENTS WITH A RESIDUAL STRUCTURAL ABNORMALITY AFTER DEFINITIVE TREATMENT FOR SQUAMOUS CELL CARCINOMA OF THE HEAD AND NECK

Abstract: Background. Residual structural abnormalities af-ter definitive treatment of head and neck squamous cell car-cinoma (HNSCC) are common and pose difficult management problems. The usefulness of fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG PET) to supplement con-ventional evaluation with clinical and standard radiologic exam-ination (CE) in such patients was assessed. Methods. Fifty-three eligible patients were identified with residual structural abnormalities on CE. True disease extent could be validated in 46 patients. Patients had a median potential follow-up of 55 months (range, 41–75 months) from the date of PET scan to the analysis closeout date. Results. PET had better diagnostic accuracy than CE (p =.0002) and induced management change in 21 patients (40%; 95 % confidence interval [CI], 26%–54%), including avoid