Temporal patterns of 18F‐fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography sinonasal uptake after treatment of sinonasal malignancy. Issue 12 (7th July 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Schwartz, Joseph S.; Brooks, Steven G.; Stubbs, Vanessa; Ghosh, Ankona; Tajudeen, Bobby A.; Khalili, Sammy; Palmer, James N.; Lee, John Y.K.; Nabavizadeh, Seyed Ali; Learned, Kim O.; Adappa, Nithin D.
• Is Part Of: International forum of allergy & rhinology. Volume 6:Issue 12(2016:Dec.)
• Page Start: 1301
• Page End: 1307
• Publication Date: 2016-07-07
• Subjects: Key Words -- endoscopic skull base surgery -- esthesioneuroblastoma -- PET/CT -- postoperative surveillance -- sinonasal malignancy; 617.51005
• DOI: 10.1002/alr.21814
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2042-6976

Abstract

Abstract : Background: Current guidelines have identified 10 to 12 weeks posttreatment as the ideal time‐point for improved diagnostic accuracy of positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) for deep tissue sites of the head and neck. After treatment, the sinonasal skull base is predisposed to prolonged inflammation that may render this time‐point inappropriate for initial posttreatment imaging surveillance for sinonasal malignancies. The purpose of this study is to evaluate temporal trends in 18 F‐fluorodeoxyglucose ( 18 FDG) sinonasal uptake after treatment for sinonasal malignancies to better elucidate the optimal time‐point for initial PET/CT posttreatment evaluation in this patient population. Methods: A retrospective analysis of all successfully treated and non–locally recurrent sinonasal malignancies over a 15‐year study period (2000 to 2015) was performed at our institution. Posttreatment 18 FDG PET/CT standardized uptake value data were collected and compared between various time‐points (2 to 4 months, 5 to 12 months, 5 to 24 months, and 13 to 24 months) using an independent‐samples t test. Results: A statistically significant difference was noted between the posttreatment time windows 2 to 4 and 5 to 12 months ( p = 0.048) as well as 2 to 4 and 5 to 24 months ( p = 0.02). A trend toward significance was seen when comparing 2 to 4 and 13 to 24 months ( p = 0.083). Conclusion: Our analysis of PET/CT in patients previously treated for sinonasal malignancy suggests that the posttreatment sinonasal skull base is characterized by a prolonged period of hypermetabolism that endures beyond the period previously described for deep tissue sites of the head and neck. These findings prompt a reevaluation of the previously described 10‐ to 12‐week cutoff point for initial posttreatment PET/CT for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma as applied to sinonasal malignancies.