• P Stumpp, S Purz, O Sabri, and T Kahn.
• Klinik und Poliklinik für Diagnostische und Interventionelle Radiologie, Universitätsklinikum Leipzig AöR, Liebigstrasse 20, 04103, Leipzig, Deutschland. patrick.stumpp@medizin.uni-leipzig.de.
• Radiologe. 2016 Jul 1; 56 (7): 588-96.

BackgroundThe (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography-computed tomography ((18)F-FDG-PET/CT) procedure is a cornerstone in the diagnostics of head and neck cancers. Several years ago PET-magnetic resonance imaging (PET/MRI) also became available as an alternative hybrid multimodal imaging method.ObjectiveDoes PET/MRI have advantages over PET/CT in the diagnostics of head and neck cancers?Material And MethodsThe diagnostic accuracy of the standard imaging methods CT, MRI and PET/CT is depicted according to currently available meta-analyses and studies concerning the use of PET/MRI for these indications are summarized.ResultsIn all studies published up to now PET/MRI did not show superiority regarding the diagnostic accuracy in head and neck cancers; however, there is some evidence that in the future PET/MRI can contribute to tumor characterization and possibly be used to predict tumor response to therapy with the use of multiparametric imaging.ConclusionCurrently, (18)F-FDG-PET/CT is not outperformed by PET/MRI in the diagnostics of head and neck cancers. The additive value of PET/MRI due to the use of multiparametric imaging needs to be investigated in future research.

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