With the development of systemic diagnostic technique in cancer, the diagnostic methods of head and neck region are developing, also. Now, it is usually used computed tomography(CT), magnetic resornance image(MRI) in head and neck cancer and positron emission tomography(PET) is being increased in diagnostic use because of tumor specificity and accuracy. However, CT and MRI show the advantage of showing precise anatomical landmarks, but the disadvantage of these methods is much affecting by anatomical variations and changes. Otherwise, PET presents the imaging of physiologic and biochemical phenomenon and the disadvantage is the difficult differentiation of normal physiologic uptake, the lack of normal anatomical landmarks. PET/CT, the combination of clinical PET and CT imaging in a single unit is introduced recently, and it helps to get more accurate diagnostic interpretation and to improve in evaluating response to therapy, in management of patients with malignant tumors. So, we report the advantages of PET/CT in the diagnosis of oral cancer with review of literatures.

With the development of systemic diagnostic technique in cancer, the diagnostic methods of head and neck region are developing, also. Now, it is usually used computed tomography(CT), magnetic resornance image(MRI) in head and neck cancer and positron emission tomography(PET) is being increased in diagnostic use because of tumor specificity and accuracy. However, CT and MRI show the advantage of showing precise anatomical landmarks, but the disadvantage of these methods is much affecting by anatomical variations and changes. Otherwise, PET presents the imaging of physiologic and biochemical phenomenon and the disadvantage is the difficult differentiation of normal physiologic uptake, the lack of normal anatomical landmarks. PET/CT, the combination of clinical PET and CT imaging in a single unit is introduced recently, and it helps to get more accurate diagnostic interpretation and to improve in evaluating response to therapy, in management of patients with malignant tumors. So, we report the advantages of PET/CT in the diagnosis of oral cancer with review of literatures.

CT, MRI, PET, PET/CT