Basic and important points regarding the diagnosis of oral cancers using fluorine-18-labeled fluoro-2-deoxy-d-glucose positron emission tomography–computed tomography: a review

Numerous studies, including our own, have revealed that positron emission tomography–computed tomography (PET/CT) using fluorine-18-labeled fluoro-2-deoxy-d-glucose (18F-FDG) is effective for the diagnosis of oral cancers. Large amounts of new information about primary tumors and metastatic lymph nodes have been acquired, and the use of 18F-FDG PET/CT has been shown to improve diagnostic precision in determining both the pathological characteristics of primary oral cancers and the presence of metastatic lymph nodes. However, substantial variations in 18F-FDG uptake in the oral and maxillofacial regions have been identified, and the differential diagnosis of some oral cancers and metastatic lymph nodes remains difficult for radiologists. Therefore, based on the previous research, the aim of the present study was to review the basic and important points regarding the diagnosis of primary oral cancers and metastatic lymph nodes using 18F-FDG PET/CT.