Whole-body hybrid positron emission tomography imaging yields clinically relevant information in the staging and restaging of sinonasal tumors

BACKGROUND Whole-body hybrid positron emission tomography (PET) imaging is increasingly used for sinonasal tumors. However, only empirical data exist on the additional, clinically relevant information derived from these techniques. METHODS This study included 96 regionalized magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the sinonasal tract/neck and separate hybrid FDG-PET/CT or FDG-PET/MRI in 74 patients. Additional radiological information (ARI) obtained from each hybrid examination was analyzed and its clinically relevance was determined. Clinically relevant information (CRI) was categorized with regard to primary tumor site, regional lymph node metastases, distant metastases, second primary tumors, and non-neoplastic findings. RESULTS A total of 45/96 (46.9%) hybrid PET examinations revealed ARI. CRI was found in 32/96 (33.3%) examinations and concerned the primary tumor site (6.1%), regional lymph node metastases (4.1%), distant metastases (14.3%), second primary tumors (7.3%), and non-neoplastic findings (5.1%). CONCLUSIONS Hybrid PET imaging yields additional radiological information translating into clinically relevant information in a substantial proportion of patients with sinonasal tumors.