Neck Surgery, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, The Netherlands. b.wensing@kno.umcn.nl
May, 2006
With improved diagnostic imaging techniques, it remains difficult to reduce occult metastatic disease in oral squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) to less than 20\%. Therefore, supraomohyoid neck dissection (SOHND) still is a valuable staging procedure in these patients.Patients with clinically and ultrasonographically staged cN0 SCC of the oral cavity underwent FDG-PET before SOHND. Histologic examination of neck dissection specimens was used as a "gold standard."Twenty-eight consecutive patients were included, representing 30 necks. Occult metastatic disease was found in 30\% of SOHND specimens. Average diameter of metastatic deposits was 4.3 mm. Sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of FDG-PET was 33\%, 76\%, and 63\%, respectively.In patients with cN0 SCC of the oral cavity, FDG-PET does not contribute to the preoperative workup. FDG-PET does not replace SOHND as a staging procedure.