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. 2008 Sep 18:3:29.
doi: 10.1186/1748-717X-3-29.

FDG-PET/CT imaging for staging and radiotherapy treatment planning of head and neck carcinoma

Letizia Deantonio  1 , Debora Beldì, Giuseppina Gambaro, Gianfranco Loi, Marco Brambilla, Eugenio Inglese, Marco Krengli
Affiliations

FDG-PET/CT imaging for staging and radiotherapy treatment planning of head and neck carcinoma

Letizia Deantonio et al. Radiat Oncol. .

Abstract

Background: Positron emission tomography (PET) has a potential improvement for staging and radiation treatment planning of various tumor sites. We analyzed the use of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG)-PET/computed tomography (CT) images for staging and target volume delineation of patients with head and neck carcinoma candidates for radiotherapy.

Methods: Twenty-two patients candidates for primary radiotherapy, who did not receive any curative surgery, underwent both CT and PET/CT simulation. Gross Tumor Volume (GTV) was contoured on CT (CT-GTV), PET (PET-GTV), and PET/CT images (PET/CT-GTV). The resulting volumes were analyzed and compared.

Results: Based on PET/CT, changes in TNM categories and clinical stage occurred in 5/22 cases (22%). The difference between CT-GTV and PET-GTV was not statistically significant (p = 0.2) whereas the difference between the composite volume (PET/CT-GTV) and CT-GTV was statistically significant (p < 0.0001).

Conclusion: PET/CT fusion images could have a potential impact on both tumor staging and treatment planning.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
The diagram shows the volumes identified after fusion of CT and PET images. "PET/CT-GTV" is the composite volume of PET and CT; "PEToutCT" is the volume identified by PET but not by CT; "CToutPET" is the volume identified by CT but not by PET; "CT&PET" is the common volume of PET and CT.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Axial FDG-PET/CT image of a patient with nasopharyngeal undifferentiated carcinoma. The computed tomography gross tumor volume (CT-GTV) and the positron emission tomography (PET)-GTV are highlighted with red and light blue contours, respectively. For treatment purposes both findings were taken into account.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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