Role of 18F-FDG PET/CT in pre and post treatment evaluation in head and neck carcinoma

Figure 6 Positron emission tomography/computed tomography for detection of small submucosal nasopharyngeal carcinoma when computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging are unrevealing in a patient presenting with metastatic cervical lymphadenopathy. Endoscopy was unremarkable. There was slight enhancement in the left side of the nasopharynx (white arrows) seen on magnetic resonance imaging (A) without abnormality on computed tomography (CT) (B). Positron emission tomography/CT (PET/CT) (C and D) revealed a focal hypermetabolic region in the left side of the nasopharynx (white arrows), suspicious for a submucosal tumor. Hypermetabolic left-sided cervical lymphadenopathy was also noted (green arrow). Biopsy revealed squamous cell carcinoma at the site of hypermetabolic activity in the left nasopharynx directed by PET/CT.