Resumen
Following completion of chemotherapy and radiation for the treatment of head and neck cancer, a PET/CT scan is typically obtained 3 months later to assess how well the patient responded to treatment. The results of this PET/CT are often difficult to interpret because radiation can cause inflammation around the area being treated that can take months to resolve. We looked at 57 patients who had a repeat PET/CT scan performed after initial post-treatment imaging was unclear to examine whether this was helpful in determining whether these patients require further testing. Among this group, 48% of patients converted to having a complete response to treatment and none went on to develop treatment failure. Based on our findings, repeat PET/CT imaging can provide valuable information for head and neck cancer patients that can reduce the incidence of unnecessary biopsies and surgeries.