Application of 18F-FDG PET/CT in Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is an epithelial malignancy occurring worldwide, with particularly high frequencies in Southern China, Hong Kong, Singapore and Taiwan. Imaging is vital for detection, staging, and treatment. 2-[Fluorine-18] fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) has been shown to be a valuable imaging tool in patients for initial staging and restaging diagnosis of NPC. Dual-modality positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) provides the technical basis for intrinsically aligned functional and morphologic data sets. The false-negative and false-positive rate may be decreased by using combined FDG-PET/CT. FDG-PET/CT may be as a standard clinical imaging modality in the staging of NPC and in the detection of recurrent disease after radiotherapy. It could provide valuable information in localizing primary tumor in patients with neck nodal metastases from an unknown primary tumor.