Pertinent CT Anatomy of the Neck for Interpreting PET/CT

The rise of combined positron emission tomography (PET)/CT has stimulated the need for radiologists who are familiar with both nuclear medicine and anatomic imaging techniques, so that a single interpreting physician can provide a consistent report. To provide patients with a high level of accuracy in PET/CT readings, a correspondingly high level of expertise is needed in each of the contributing modalities. The purpose of this article is to provide guidance for physicians who have experience with nuclear medicine techniques, but are becoming more familiar with CT of the neck, and, in particular, with the imaging of cervical lymph nodes.