Abstract
Objectives:
Fluorodeoxyglucose Positron Emission Tomography (FDG-PET) scans are increasingly being adopted in head and neck cancer (HNC) practice in the United Kingdom. The aim of this study is to review the West of Scotland (WoS) HNC reasons for requesting FDG-PET.
Methods:
A prospective database of FDG-PET requested by HNC teams was reviewed. All scans between January 2008 and December 2011 were examined recording the indications compared to the National Health Service NHSScotland PET-CT clinical indications guidelines.
Results:
Over the study period, 299 scans with a HNC indication were requested including 180 pre-treatment. The current indications in our region are assessing primary site (possible primary in 52.3% of 132 “unknown primary” cases), identification of recurrence (16%), distant metastasis (16%) and treatment response (13%). The latter two are not current NHSScotland indications. The proportion of scans following national recommended guidelines improved over time from 39% to 75%.
Conclusions:
NHSScotland PET recommendations should be modified to include our current indications, closely reflecting recent Royal College of Radiologists evidence-based indications for use of PET-CT in the UK.
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