Physical examination and anatomical imaging frequently detect head and neck disease and often more sophisticated methods are not necessary. However, lymph node involvement is a significant risk factor and an important prognostic indicator. Surgery and radiotherapy alters the normal anatomy and makes detection of residual or recurrent disease difficult.

• PET can diagnoses malignant nodes from normal and normal reactive nodes.
• PET can stage the extent of disease, even lymph node involvement.
• PET can monitor for recurrence and detection of residual disease following the initial therapy. Altered anatomy does not present a difficulty for PET in disease detection.

see PET