Posttreatment FDG-PET Uptake in the Supraglottic and Glottic Larynx Correlates With Decreased Quality of Life After Chemoradiotherapy

Altered metabolism in irradiated tissues persists 1 year after therapy. FDG-PET scans may be used to assess normal tissue damage following chemoradiotherapy. These data support investigating hypermetabolic conditions associated with either inflammation, oxidative stress, or both, as causal agents for radiation-induced normal tissue damage.