Evaluation of Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice Regarding Positron Emission Tomography in Head and Neck Cancers among Oral Physicians in South India: A Cross- Sectional Study

Abstract

Background: Positron emission tomography (PET) when combined with computed tomography (CT) offers an accurate extent of disease and provides additional information regarding nodal and distant metastases. Aim: To evaluate the knowledge, attitude, and practice regarding PET in head and neck cancers among oral physicians in south India. Methodology: It was a web-based cross-sectional survey done with a customized questionnaire among dentists with postgraduate specialization in oral medicine and radiology in southern parts of India. The response rate was 75%. Results: The mean age of the participants was 37.6 years, and the mean years of their clinical experience were 10.3. Almost 95% were aware that PET CT helps in detecting distant metastases, 82% of them knew that PET CT helps in assessing treatment response and in detecting recurrence. 62% were uncertain about the actual need for a PET CT scan. About 74.1% of the physicians strongly wanted to include the imaging procedures and interpretations in the postgraduate curriculum. Conclusion: This study leads to recommendations to add PET CT procedures and interpretations to the postgraduate curriculum and to conduct workshops at the annual conferences of the specialty to help update their knowledge in this field.

Keywords

• neoplasm staging
• oral cancer
• oral medicine
• positron emission tomography