Diagnostic Test Accuracy and Semi-Quantitative Metrics of 18F-FDG PET in Assessing Treatment Response in Skull Base Osteomyelitis and Necrotising Otitis Externa: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

¹⁸F-FDG PET, specifically using SUVmax, demonstrates high sensitivity and good specificity for treatment response monitoring, with excellent capacity to rule out persistent infection. However, evidence quality is limited by retrospective designs and substantial heterogeneity. Prospective studies with standardised thresholds are needed to validate clinical utility.