Accuracy of 18FDG PET-CT for treatment evaluation 3 months after completion of chemoradiotherapy for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma: 2-year minimum follow-up

Background The purpose of this study was to assess the accuracy of 18F‐fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (18FDG PET)‐CT in detecting residual or recurrent disease after nonsurgical treatment for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Methods We conducted a retrospective analysis of patients with oral cavity, oropharynx, larynx, hypopharynx, or cervical lymph node location of SCC treated with chemoradiotherapy. Twelve weeks posttreatment, 18FDG PET‐CT results were compared to histology if residual disease was suspected. Patients with complete response received a minimum of 24‐month follow‐up. Results Forty‐seven patients were included with 40 months of median follow‐up: 46 with a squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) at the primary site and 43 in the neck. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) were 86.7%, 90%, 76.5%, and 93.1%, respectively, at the primary site and 100%, 97.2%, 87.5%, 100%, respectively, in the neck. Conclusion 18FDG PET‐CT seems effective in detecting residual disease and in predicting recurrent disease within the first 2 years of follow‐up after nonsurgical treatment. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck 38: E1271–E1276, 2016