Diagnostic Performance Of 4D Dynamic LAFOV FDG-PET Acquisition for Differentiation of Residual Disease and Post-radiation Inflammation in Head Neck SCC Treated by Radiotherapy.

This study is exploring a new way to monitor how well treatment has worked for head and neck cancer. Doctors typically use a standard PET scan three months after you finish radiation therapy to see if any cancer remains. This study uses a specialized type of imaging called dynamic FDG-PET with a "large axial field of view" (LAFOV). This advanced scanner may provide more detailed information than a traditional scan by capturing more of the body at once and watching how the imaging tracer moves through your system over time. Because this is an observational study, you will not receive new experimental medications; instead, the researchers are looking at how this specific type of imaging can improve the accuracy of your follow-up care.

To be eligible, you must be an adult with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma who has recently completed a full course of curative radiation therapy. You should be at the three-month mark following your treatment, which is when this evaluation typically occurs. You may not be able to participate if you have had other types of upper gastrointestinal cancers, if you did not complete your full radiation schedule, or if you have an allergy to the tracer used in PET scans. Participating will likely involve at least one specialized imaging session. Before joining, you should talk to your doctor about how this advanced scan differs from a standard PET scan and what the results might mean for your future monitoring and care plan.