BMC Cancer (Dec 2017)

Diagnostic accuracy of 18F–FDG PET/CT and MR imaging in patients with adenoid cystic carcinoma

  • Verena Ruhlmann,
  • Thorsten D. Poeppel,
  • Johannes Veit,
  • James Nagarajah,
  • Lale Umutlu,
  • Thomas K. Hoffmann,
  • Andreas Bockisch,
  • Ken Herrmann,
  • Wolfgang Sauerwein

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12885-017-3890-4
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 17, no. 1
pp. 1 – 7

Abstract

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Abstract Background The aim of this study was to evaluate the value of 18F–FDG PET/CT (PET/CT) and MRI for local and/or whole-body restaging of adenoid cystic carcinoma of the head and neck (ACC). Methods Thirty-six patients with ACC underwent conventional MRI of the head and neck and a whole-body PET/CT and were analysed with regards to detection of a local tumor recurrence, lymph node or distant metastases. A consensus interpretation of all available imaging data was used as reference standard. Sensitivity, specificity, diagnostic accuracy, positive and negative predictive values were calculated for MRI and PET/CT. Results The sensitivity of PET/CT and MRI was 96% (89%), specificity 89% (89%), PPV 96% (96%), NPV 89% (73%) and accuracy 94% (89%) for detection of local tumors. Additionally, PET/CT revealed lymph node metastases in one patient and distant metastases in 9/36 patients. In three patients secondary primaries were found. Conclusions Whole-body PET/CT in addition to MRI of the head and neck improves detection of local tumour and metastastic spread in ACC.

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