Abstract
To secure an optimum of presurgical strategy and postsurgical treatment, a very precise staging by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is mandatory. So far, B-scan, computed tomography and MRI are well-established but only morphologically orientated diagnostic procedures. The purpose of this study was to evaluate somatostatin scintigraphy and, in addition, 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (18F-FDG-PET) in comparison to these procedures in squamous-cell carcinomas (SCC) of the head and neck. Eight presurgically untreated patients with histologically proven SCC of the head and neck (diameter > 1 cm) were examined. The postsurgical histological examinations were regarded as 'gold standard'. Regarding the T staging, presurgical results were obtained by endoscopy. The investigation by MRI gave evidence that in nearly half of our patients the tumor was overestimated. Due to the high 18F-FDG uptake into the mucosa of 6 of 8 patients, SCC were overestimated by PET procedures, too. The promising method of somatostatin scintigraphy used currently in diagnosing neurogenic tumors was able to identify SCC in only 2 patients. Regarding the N staging, MRI enabled correct analysis in 4 patients. The investigation by PET resulted in 1 false-negative staging due to a small partially infiltrated lymph node (diameter 0.9 cm). The preliminary results favor the MRI procedure in addition to presurgical endoscopy. MRI investigation is recommended to identify the T staging in combination with endoscopy. The metabolic 18F-FDG-PET imaging seems to be superior in N staging but not suitable in T staging of SCC.
Translated title of the contribution | Presurgical staging of squamous-cell carcinoma of the head and neck by endoscopy, magnetic resonance imaging, positron emission tomography and somatostatin scintigraphy - A comparative study |
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Original language | German |
Pages (from-to) | 292-299 |
Number of pages | 8 |
Journal | Oto-Rhino-Laryngologia Nova |
Volume | 4 |
Issue number | 5-6 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - 1994 |