PET for surveillance for head and neck cancer – pro
While PET is guideline recommended udser some circumstances for ehad and neck cancer, the proposed use is not recommended. Note of 10/4/16 says that it is for “monitoring” which si nto a guideline recommended use.
During follow-up, especially in the first year when most recurrences occur, it is appropriate only to perform 18F-FDG PET-CT when a recurrence is suspected and a confirmatory biopsy would be associated with significant morbidity, as in case of neck node enlargement, tissue deep under a reconstructive flap, significant persistent post-irradiation toxicity and, in general, difficult exposure requiring general anaesthesia for an adequate biopsy sampling.
P, Castaldi et al, Role of 18F-FDG PET-CT in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Acta Otorhinolaryngol Ital. 2013 Feb; 33(1): 1–8.