The role of FDG-PET in the preoperative assessment of N-staging in head and neck cancer.

This prospective study based on 48 patients showed that FDG-PET has a significantly higher sensitivity for the detection of lymph node metastases compared with palpation and it appears that FDG-PET has a similar sensitivity to CT-scanning. According to our data, FDG-PET is a highly specific method in the evaluation of neck nodes. This new imaging technique allows a tridimensional study and is easy to interpret.

Modified canal wall-up mastoidectomy with mastoid obliteration for severe chronic otitis media.

Mastoid tympanoplasty with a canal wall-up technique provides better conditions for a healthy skin lining than canal wall-down techniques. The formation of retraction pockets in residual pneumatized cavities is however a major cause of cholesteatoma recurrence with canal wall-up techniques. We have therefore attempted to combine the advantages of both canal wall-down and canal wall-up techniques.

[Positron emission tomography (PET) in the preoperative evaluation of cervical lymph node metastasis of ORL cancer].

The distribution of specific radiolabeled biological compounds in tumor tissues can be imaged by positron emission tomography (PET). The substance used is fluorodeoxyglucose, labeled with the positron emitter fluorine-18. This substance is partly trapped in tumor cells with increased glucose metabolism.