OBJECTIVETo assess the clinical value of (18)F-FDGPET/CT in the diagnosis of larynx carcinoma. Methods Forty-seven patients with larynx carcinoma or suspected larynx carcinoma underwent (18)F-FDG PET/CT examination within a week before therapy. The value of (18)F-FDG PET/CT in the diagnosis and staging of the malignancy was compared with that of unenhanced contrast CT.

METHODSForty-seven patients with larynx carcinoma or suspected larynx carcinoma underwent (18)F-FDG PET/CT examination within a week before therapy. The value of (18)F-FDG PET/CT in the diagnosis and staging of the malignancy was compared with that of unenhanced contrast CT.

RESULTSAmong the 47 patients, a definite diagnosis of larynx carcinomas was established pathologically in 43 patients. For detection of primary tumors, the sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of (18)F-FDG PET/CT were 95.3%, 75% and 93.6%, as compared with 74.4%, 50%, and 72.3% with unenhanced contrast CT scan, respectively, showing significant differences in the diagnostic sensitivity and accuracy between the two modalities (Χ=7.340, P=0.007; Χ=7.532, P=0.006). Twenty-six of the 43 patients were identified to have lymph node metastasis, for which (18)F-FDG PET/CT showed a significantly higher diagnostic sensitivity than unenhanced contrast CT (92.3% vs 61.5%, Χ=6.933, P=0.008). In the 46 excised lymph nodes from 19 patients, 26 were found positive for metastasis, for which (18)F-FDG PET/CT showed a diagnostic sensitivity of 92%, significant higher than that with unenhanced contrast CT (64%, Χ=5.71, P=0.017). PET/CT detected synchronous tumor in one case. (18)F-FDG PET/CT resulted in a change of staging in 34.9% of the patients, including upstaging in 14 patients and down-staging in one patient.

CONCLUSION(18)F-FDG PET/CT can be an important means for diagnosis and initial staging of larynx carcinoma.