[PET/CT imaging in head and neck tumors]

To evaluate the usefulness of combined PET/CT examinations for detection of malignant tumors and their metastases in head and neck oncology.51 patients received whole body scans on a dual modality PET/CT system. CT was performed without i.v. contrast. The results were compared concerning the diagnostic impact of native CT scan on FDG-PET images and the additional value of fused imaging.From 153 lesions were 97 classified as malignant on CT and 136 on FDG/PET images, as suspicious for malignancy in 33 on CT and 7 on FDG-PET and as benign in 23 on CT and 10 on FDG-PET. With combined PET/CT all primary and recurrent tumors could be found, the detection rate in patients with unknown primary tumors was 45%. Compared to PET or CT alone the sensitivity, specifity and accuracy could be significantly improved by means of combined PET/CT.Fused PET/CT imaging with [F18]-FDG and native CT-scanning enables accurate diagnosis in 93% of lesions and 90% of patients with head and neck oncology.