Detection of cervical lymph node metastases in nasopharyngeal carcinomas: Comparison between technetium-99m methoxyisobutylisonitrile single photon emission computed tomography and computed tomography

The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness of technetium-99m methoxyisobutylisonitrile (Tc-99m MIBI) single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) and computed tomography (CT) of head and neck in evaluating cervical lymph node (LN) metastasis in nasopharyngeal carcinomas (NPC). Fifty NPC patients with suspected cervical LN metastases underwent Tc-99m MIBI SPECT and CT of the head and neck to evaluate cervical LN metastases. Among the 50 patients cervical LN lesion were confirmed by biopsy histopathological results in 40 patients. For 22 LN lesions with discordant results between Tc-99m MIBI SPECT and CT Tc-99m MIBI SPECT could correctly detect 5 metastatic and 7 benign LN lesions, while could correctly detect 5 metastatic and 6 benign LN lesions. Tc-99m MIBI SPECT and CT could correctly detect all of the 18 metastatic LN lesions. Tc-99m MIBI SPECT showed a better specificity but a lower sensitivity for detecting cervical LN metastases in NPC when compared with CT. The combined use of Tc-99m MIBI SPECT and CT could increase the accuracy, compared with the single use of either Tc-99m MIBI SPECT or CT to detect cervical LN metastases in NPC.