Clinical Investigation
Analysis of variation patterns of focal physiological uptake in the tongue on 18F-FDG PET/CT imaging
Hao Xinzhong, Wu Zhifang, Yan Min, Qin Zhixing, Cheng Pengliang, Wu Ping, Liu Jianzhong
Published 2020-07-25
Cite as Chin J Nucl Med Mol Imaging, 2020, 40(7): 415-420. DOI: 10.3760/cma.j.cn321828-20191106-00253
Abstract
ObjectiveTo analyze variant patterns and characteristics of focal physiological uptake (FPU) in the tongue on 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) PET/CT imaging in patients without a history of oral tumor surgery and radiotherapy.
MethodsA total of 6 233 consecutive patients who underwent routine whole-body PET/CT scan between January 2013 and December 2017 in the First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University were investigated retrospectively, and 324 patients with a history of oral surgery and radiotherapy were excluded, the remaining 5 909 patients (3 418 males, 2 491 females, age range: 2-95 (average: 58) years) were enrolled. A part of the patients underwent local PET/CT scan and CT scan with diagnostic dose, covering the oral cavity on mouth-opening position. The morphological characteristics of FPU patterns were analyzed, and the maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) was measured.
ResultsSeventy-six FPUs in 76 patients (49 males, 27 females, age range: 40-83 (average 64) years) identified by routine whole-body PET/CT scan were confirmed by clinical examination from a specialist in stomatology or follow-up for more than 6 months. Forty-one of the 76 patients subsequently underwent local PET/CT scan and diagnostic CT scan on mouth-opening position. The incidence of FPU in the tongue was 1.29%(76/5 909). The FPU patterns could be classified into three types: type Ⅰ with FDG uptake involved only anterior part of the tongue body in the midline (near the tip of the tongue), which showed as a " dotted" shape( n=68; 1.15%, 68/5 909); type Ⅱ with FDG uptake involved mainly middle part of the genioglossus muscle, which showed as a " bar-shorted" shape ( n=5; 0.08%, 5/5 909); type Ⅲ with FDG uptake involved large part of the tongue body and the genioglossus, which showed as a " T" shape( n=3; 0.05%, 3/5 909). The SUVmax in patients with type Ⅰ and type Ⅱ were 5.53(4.53, 7.30), 19.50(17.10, 22.74) respectively. The SUVmax in 3 patients with type Ⅲ were 23.34, 27.50 and 35.14, respectively.
ConclusionIn patients without a history of oral tumor surgery and radiotherapy, the FPU in the tongue has its specific pattern, and PET/CT scan on mouth-opening position helps to reveal the detailed features.
Key words:
Tongue; Positron-emission tomography; Tomography, X-ray computed; Deoxyglucose
Contributor Information
Hao Xinzhong
Department of Nuclear Medicine, the First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan 030001, China
Wu Zhifang
Department of Nuclear Medicine, the First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan 030001, China
Yan Min
Department of Nuclear Medicine, the First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan 030001, China
Qin Zhixing
Department of Nuclear Medicine, the First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan 030001, China
Cheng Pengliang
Department of Nuclear Medicine, the First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan 030001, China
Wu Ping
Department of Nuclear Medicine, the First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan 030001, China
Liu Jianzhong
Department of Nuclear Medicine, the First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan 030001, China
