Alternative PET tracers in head and neck cancer. A review.

Positron emission tomography (PET) has become a standard in staging Head and Neck cancer. While (18)F-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose (FDG) is the most frequently used radiopharmaceutical, glycolysis is not the only metabolic process that can be visualized. Different PET tracers can also be used to visualize other metabolic processes and in this manner, the disadvantages of FDG PET can be avoided. In this review, we describe a comprehensive overview of alternatives to FDG that can be used in identifying head and neck cancer. The potential advantages and disadvantages of these radiopharmaceuticals are discussed.