Open AccessRetropharyngeal Node Metastasis in Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma
Author(s) -
Chen MuKuan,
We Wu IuanSheng
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
otolaryngology–head and neck surgery
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.232
H-Index - 121
eISSN - 1097-6817
pISSN - 0194-5998
DOI - 10.1177/0194599811415823a146
Subject(s) - nasopharyngeal carcinoma , medicine , metastasis , lymph node metastasis , radiology , pet ct , primary tumor , nuclear medicine , lymph node , computed tomography , pathology , cancer , radiation therapy
Objective PET/CT has been proposed to enhance pretreatment evaluation of cervical nodal status in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). The purpose of this study was to compare PET/CT and enhanced CT in the detection of retropharyngeal lymph node (RLN) metastasis in NPC, and to ascertain the factors affecting its diagnostic performance. Method From 2007 to 2008, 33 patients with newly diagnosed NPC were prospectively studied. All patients underwent an enhanced CT scan and FDG‐PET/CT. Results The detection rate of RLN metastasis on PET/CT was significantly lower than that on enhanced CT (36.4% vs 75.8%), Pmax of RLNs was positively correlated with the minimal axial diameter (r=0.803), P < 5 mm, 9% for those 5 to 10 mm, and 73% for those ≥1 cm. The detection rate of PET/CT at C1 level was significant lower than that at C2 level (22% vs 67%, P =. 035), suggesting that RLNs in close proximity to the primary tumor hindered the recognition by PET/CT. Conclusion PET/CT is inferior to enhanced CT in detecting RLN metastasis in NPC, especially in lymph nodes with a diameter less than 1 cm or in close proximity to the primary tumor. Using enhanced CT in PET/CT is complementary in delineating the RLN metastasis in patients with NPC.