Detection and Restaging of Residual and/or Recurrent Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma after Chemotherapy and Radiation Therapy: Comparison of MR Imaging and FDG PET/CT

Purpose: To compare the accuracy of magnetic resonance (MR) imaging and combined fluorine 18 fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT), alone and in combination, in detection and restaging treated nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). Materials and Methods: This retrospective study was performed after institutional review board approval and informed consent were obtained. Sixty-three consecutive patients treated for NPC underwent follow-up with both MR imaging and FDG PET/CT. Findings were evaluated according to the TNM classification. Final diagnosis was confirmed at biopsy or imaging follow-up for at least 6 months. Proportions and their 95% confidence intervals were computed; for comparison of data obtained separately from MR imaging and FDG PET/CT and those obtained from their combined use, the McNemar test was used. P < .05 was considered to indicate a statistically significant difference. Results: There was a trend toward greater overall accuracy of MR over PET/C...