Clinical impact of 18F‐FDG positron emission tomography/CT on adenoid cystic carcinoma of the head and neck

ABSTRACT Background The purpose of this retrospective study was to assess the diagnostic value of 18F‐fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET)/CT and the prognostic value of metabolic PET parameters in patients with adenoid cystic carcinoma of the head and neck (ACCHN). Methods Forty patients with newly diagnosed ACCHN were enrolled in this study. We investigated the diagnostic value of 18F‐FDG PET/CT for detecting and staging compared to conventional CT. Kaplan–Meier survival analysis for progression‐free survival (PFS) was performed with clinicopathological factors and metabolic PET parameters. Results The 18F‐FDG PET/CT showed comparable sensitivity (92.3%) to conventional CT for lesion detection, and changed staging and management plan in 6 patients (15.0%). Lower PFS rates were associated with advanced T classification, advanced TNM classification, high maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax; >5.1), and high total lesion glycolysis (>40.1) of the primary tumor. Conclusion The 18F‐FDG PET/CT can provide additional information for initial staging, and metabolic PET parameters may serve as prognostic factors of ACCHN. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck 39: 447–455, 2017