Staging of @entity135 : XXXX positron emission tomography compared with physical examination and conventional imaging modalities.

@entity5 @entity1 @entity135 @entity419
PURPOSE: The aims of this study were to evaluate the use of @entity419 positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) in the staging of primary and recurrent @entity5 of the head and neck in comparison to routine clinical methods (physical examination, ultrasonography, computed tomography) and to investigate the effect of FDG-PET scanning on therapeutic strategy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Retrospective analysis of the results of FDG-PET and conventional diagnostic modalities were compared with biopsy results or @entity1 outcome or both. In a period of 6 years, 78 FDG-PET studies were performed on 56 @entity1 ; 24 of them before therapy and 54 on suspicion of residual or recurrent @entity5 . The evaluation of the diagnostic results was performed separately for the primary site and the nodal sites of the neck and for @entity5 occurrence in the trunk. RESULTS: In detecting the primary site, FDG-PET results reached a sensitivity of 93%, a specificity of 100%, and an accuracy of 94%. In detecting the nodal sites, similar results of 94%, 97%, and 96% were seen, respectively. In detecting @entity5 occurrence in the trunk, results were 83%, 100%, and 98%, respectively. The McNemar test did not prove any statistically significant difference between FDG-PET and the evaluated conventional methods. When used in conjunction with conventional diagnostic tests, 22% of the PET scans gave important additional information. Finally, 11% of the performed PET scans led to a change in therapeutic planning. CONCLUSIONS: Our results show that FDG-PET is a reliable method to detect @entity5 in all @entity5 sites. Therefore, we recommend that FDG-PET scanning be performed routinely as a first diagnostic step in pretherapeutic staging of @entity1 with biopsy-proven @entity135 .
