Table 1 Overview of existing international guidelines with regard to surveillance imaging after the initial (3–6 months) post-treatment baseline imaging study
From: Post-treatment surveillance imaging in head and neck cancer: a systematic review
Organization | Year | Guidelines |
|---|---|---|
NCCN [8] | 2022 | • Imaging only in locoregionally advanced disease and only if clinically indicated • PET-CT may be the most sensitive imaging modality • If a PET/CT at 3 months post-treatment is negative, there are no data to support substantial benefit for further routine imaging in an asymptomatic patient with negative clinical exam • Routine annual imaging (repeat use of pretreatment imaging modality) may be indicated to visualize areas inaccessible to routine clinical examination (deep-seated anatomic locations or areas obscured by extensive treatment change) |
eviCore 2.1 Clinical Guidelines [10] | 2021 | • No imaging surveillance after first post-treatment scan • Exceptions: in case of nasopharyngeal primary site or physical exam unable to visualize deep-seated primary site: annual CT or MRI for 3 years • In smokers: CT chest only if lung cancer screening criteria are met |
AWMF (Germany) [11] | 2012 | • Imaging every 6 months in the first and second year, every 12 months in years 3–5 |
BAHNO (UK) [12] | 2001 | • None (symptom-directed only) |
EHNS-ESMO-ESTRO [15] |  | • Imaging should be carried out if symptoms occur or in cases of abnormalities found at the clinical examination |
ASCO [13] | 2019 | • Only if initial PET-CT shows possibly suspect lymph node |
AHNS [16] | 2016 | • Consider in case of smoking history, nasopharyngeal primary, or tumor site inaccessible to clinical examination • Endorses NCCN guidelines |
NI-RADS [17] | 2018 | • CT, MRI, or PET-CT every 3, 6, or 12 months depending on initial post-treatment imaging findings |
ACS [14] | 2016 | • No definite recommendations |