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World J Radiol. May 28, 2014; 6(5): 177-191
Published online May 28, 2014. doi: 10.4329/wjr.v6.i5.177
Role of 18F-FDG PET/CT in pre and post treatment evaluation in head and neck carcinoma
Bundhit Tantiwongkosi, Fang Yu, Anand Kanard, Frank R Miller
Bundhit Tantiwongkosi, Division of Neuroradiology, Department of Radiology and Otolaryngology Head Neck Surgery, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78229, United States
Bundhit Tantiwongkosi, Imaging Service, South Texas Veterans Health Care System, San Antonio, TX 78229, United States
Fang Yu, Department of Radiology, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78229, United States
Anand Kanard, Department of Medical Oncology, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78229, United States
Frank R Miller, Department of Otolaryngology Head Neck Surgery, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78229, United States
Author contributions: All four authors actively and equally contributed to the writing and editing of the article as well as gathering the necessary illustrations.
Correspondence to: Bundhit Tantiwongkosi, MD, Division of Neuroradiology, Department of Radiology and Otolaryngology Head Neck Surgery, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, 7703 Floyd Curl Drive, Mail Code 7800, San Antonio, TX 78229, United States. tantiwongkos@uthscsa.edu
Telephone: +1-210-5673448 Fax: +1-210-5670008
Received: December 26, 2013
Revised: January 21, 2014
Accepted: April 9, 2014
Published online: May 28, 2014
Processing time: 153 Days and 10 Hours
Core Tip

Core tip: Positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) has proven to be useful in evaluation of carcinoma of unknown primary origin before panendoscopy and biopsy, regional lymph node metastasis and distant metastasis. PET/CT could be the only study that reveals residual or recurrent tumors when the neck anatomy is markedly distorted after treatment. Limitations of PET/CT in evaluation of primary tumor extent are also discussed to alert the radiologists so they may suggest and correlate with appropriate imaging modalities. The article utilizes diagrams and multi planar reconstructed PET/CT from several histopathologically-proven cases with emphasis on imaging and clinical correlation.