Criteria for patients included a neck dissection as part of their treatment, and a whole-body PET-CT performed prior to treatment. The researchers used an SUV value of 2.5 as a standard for positive findings, and compared this to data on histopathological findings.
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September 2009The researchers found that in the end, in the group of subjects with N0 necks, there were 26 true positives and 80 true negatives. If we based our decision to perform a neck dissection solely off the findings of the PET-CT, we would have performed 18 unnecessary dissections and missed 20 positive specimens. For comparison, there were the patients that had an end-positive neck-these would have resulted in six unnecessary dissections and 10 missed positive specimens, she said. PET-CTs were done prior to treatment.
Dr. Ryoo concluded that PET-CT does not currently have the capability of replacing neck dissection as a staging tool. The technology has room for improvement.
©2009 The Triological Society
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