The potential of Positron emission tomography/computerized tomography (PET/CT) scanning as a detector of high-risk patients with oral infection during preoperative staging

Publication date: Available online 22 April 2016
Source:Oral Surgery, Oral Medicine, Oral Pathology and Oral Radiology
Author(s): Keisuke Yamashiro, Makoto Nakano, Koichi Sawaki, Fumihiko Okazaki, Yasuhisa Hirata, Shogo Takashiba
ObjectiveIt is sometimes difficult for physicians to determine during the intraoperative period whether patients have oral infections; the patients need treatment for preventing oral infection-related complications during medical therapies such as cancer therapy and surgery. One of the reasons for this difficulty is that basic medical tests do not provide an indicator for oral infection including periodontitis and periapical periodontitis. In this report, we investigated the potential of PET/CT as a diagnostic tool for these patients.Study DesignWe evaluated 8 patients during the intraoperative period. All patients underwent PET/CT scanning before surgery. All cases had the signs of oral infection, evidenced by ¹⁸F-FDG localization in oral regions. Periodontal examination and orthopantomogram evaluation showed severe infection or bone resorption in the oral regions.Results¹⁸F-FDG was localized in the oral infection lesions such as severe periodontitis, apical periodontitis, and pericoronitis of third molar. The densities of ¹⁸F-FDG were proportional to the degree of inflammation.ConclusionPET/CT scanning is a potential diagnostic tool for oral infections. Particularly, it may be useful in patients during preoperative staging, as they frequently undergo scanning and need treatment before cancer therapy/surgery.



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