Radionuclide scans in the assessment of distant metastases from squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck.

The initial evaluation of patient with squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck often includes the use of radionuclide scans to detect distant metastases. A retrospective study was conducted of radionuclide liver, bone, and brain scans on 111 patients. An overall 3.8 per cent of liver scans were positive and 2.9 per cent were highly suspicious for metastatic disease. No positive brain scans were encountered but 2.4 per cent of the bone scans were positive. The scan results did not affect the treatment in the majority of cases. One third of the patients with positive/suspect scans were alive at three to six years follow-up. Our results do not support the routine use of radionuclide scans in the initial evaluation of the patient with squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck.