F‐18‐fluoro‐deoxy‐glucose positron‐emission tomography scanning in detection of local recurrence after radiotherapy for laryngeal/ pharyngeal cancer

Abstract

When a local recurrence is suspected after radiotherapy for cancer of the larynx/pharynx, an FDG PET scan should be the first diagnostic step. No biopsy is needed if the scan is negative. If the scan is positive and the biopsy negative, a decreased FDG uptake measured in a follow-up scan indicates that a local recurrence is unlikely.