PET/Computed Tomography: Laryngeal and Hypopharyngeal Cancers

Asha Kandathil; Rathan M Subramaniam

doi:10.1016/j.cpet.2021.12.009

PET/Computed Tomography: Laryngeal and Hypopharyngeal Cancers

PET Clin. 2022 Apr;17(2):235-248. doi: 10.1016/j.cpet.2021.12.009. Epub 2022 Mar 5.

Authors

Asha Kandathil¹, Rathan M Subramaniam²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Radiology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA. Electronic address: Asha.Kandathil@utsouthwestern.edu.
² Dean's Office, Otago Medical School, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand; Department of Radiology, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA.

PMID: 35260366
DOI: 10.1016/j.cpet.2021.12.009

Abstract

Treatment of laryngeal and hypopharyngeal tumors with surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy is aimed at improving survival and preserving function. PET with fluorodeoxyglucose F 18 (¹⁸F FDG-PET)/computed tomography is the standard of care and an integral part of staging and treatment response assessment in patients with laryngeal and hypopharyngeal cancers. Knowledge of cross-sectional laryngeal and hypopharyngeal anatomy, expected patterns of tumor spread, and awareness of physiologic FDG uptake in head and neck structures is essential for accurate TNM staging. ¹⁸F FDG-PET/computed tomography is superior to anatomic imaging in identifying posttreatment local, regional, and distant tumor recurrence.

Keywords: FDG; HNSCC; Hypopharyngeal cancer; Laryngeal cancer; PET/CT.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Cross-Sectional Studies
Fluorodeoxyglucose F18
Head and Neck Neoplasms*
Humans
Hypopharyngeal Neoplasms* / diagnostic imaging
Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / diagnostic imaging
Neoplasm Staging
Positron-Emission Tomography
Radiopharmaceuticals
Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Substances

Radiopharmaceuticals
Fluorodeoxyglucose F18