Correlations between DW-MRI and 18F-FDG PET/CT parameters in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma following definitive chemo-radiotherapy.

TY - JOUR

T1 - Correlations between DW-MRI and 18F-FDG PET/CT parameters in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma following definitive chemo-radiotherapy.

AU - Connor, Steve

AU - Sit, Cherry

AU - Anjari, Mustafa

AU - Szyszko, Teresa

AU - Dunn, Joel

AU - Pai, Irumee

AU - Cook, Gary

AU - Goh, Vicky

N1 - Funding Information: This study was supported by grants from Guy's and St Thomas' Hospital Charity (ref EFT130501) and the Royal College of Radiologists: Kodak Radiology Research Fund. Publisher Copyright: © 2021 The Authors. Cancer Reports published by Wiley Periodicals LLC. Copyright: Copyright 2021 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.

PY - 2021/8

Y1 - 2021/8

N2 - Background: Posttreatment diffusion–weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DW-MRI) and 18F-fluorodeoxygluocose (18F-FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) with computed tomography (PET/CT) have potential prognostic value following chemo-radiotherapy (CRT) for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Correlations between these PET/CT (standardized uptake value or SUV) and DW-MRI (apparent diffusion coefficient or ADC) parameters have only been previously explored in the pretreatment setting. Aim: To evaluate stage III and IV HNSCC at 12-weeks post-CRT for the correlation between SUVmax and ADC values and their interval changes from pretreatment imaging. Methods: Fifty-six patients (45 male, 11 female, mean age 59.9 + − 7.38) with stage 3 and 4 HNSCC patients underwent 12-week posttreatment DW-MRI and 18F-FDG PET/CT studies in this prospective study. There were 41/56 patients in the cohort with human papilloma virus-related oropharyngeal cancer (HPV OPC). DW-MRI (ADCmax and ADCmin) and 18F-FDG PET/CT (SUVmax and SUVmax ratio to liver) parameters were measured at the site of primary tumors (n = 48) and the largest lymph nodes (n = 52). Kendall's tau evaluated the correlation between DW-MRI and 18F-FDG PET/CT parameters. Mann-Whitney test compared the post-CRT PET/CT and DW-MRI parameters between those participants with and without 2-year disease-free survival (DFS). Results: There was no correlation between DW-MRI and 18F-FDG PET/CT parameters on 12-week posttreatment imaging (P =.455-.794; tau = −0.075-0.25) or their interval changes from pretreatment to 12-week posttreatment imaging (P =.1-.946; tau = −0.194-0.044). The primary tumor ADCmean (P =.03) and the interval change in nodal ADCmin (P =.05) predicted 2-year DFS but none of the 18F-FDG PET/CT parameters were associated with 2-year DFS. Conclusions: There is no correlation between the quantitative DWI-MRI and 18F-FDG PET/CT parameters derived from 12-week post-CRT studies. These parameters may be independent biomarkers however in this HPV OPC dominant cohort, only selected ADC parameters demonstrated prognostic significance. Study was prospectively registered at http://www.controlled-trials.com/ISRCTN58327080.

AB - Background: Posttreatment diffusion–weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DW-MRI) and 18F-fluorodeoxygluocose (18F-FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) with computed tomography (PET/CT) have potential prognostic value following chemo-radiotherapy (CRT) for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Correlations between these PET/CT (standardized uptake value or SUV) and DW-MRI (apparent diffusion coefficient or ADC) parameters have only been previously explored in the pretreatment setting. Aim: To evaluate stage III and IV HNSCC at 12-weeks post-CRT for the correlation between SUVmax and ADC values and their interval changes from pretreatment imaging. Methods: Fifty-six patients (45 male, 11 female, mean age 59.9 + − 7.38) with stage 3 and 4 HNSCC patients underwent 12-week posttreatment DW-MRI and 18F-FDG PET/CT studies in this prospective study. There were 41/56 patients in the cohort with human papilloma virus-related oropharyngeal cancer (HPV OPC). DW-MRI (ADCmax and ADCmin) and 18F-FDG PET/CT (SUVmax and SUVmax ratio to liver) parameters were measured at the site of primary tumors (n = 48) and the largest lymph nodes (n = 52). Kendall's tau evaluated the correlation between DW-MRI and 18F-FDG PET/CT parameters. Mann-Whitney test compared the post-CRT PET/CT and DW-MRI parameters between those participants with and without 2-year disease-free survival (DFS). Results: There was no correlation between DW-MRI and 18F-FDG PET/CT parameters on 12-week posttreatment imaging (P =.455-.794; tau = −0.075-0.25) or their interval changes from pretreatment to 12-week posttreatment imaging (P =.1-.946; tau = −0.194-0.044). The primary tumor ADCmean (P =.03) and the interval change in nodal ADCmin (P =.05) predicted 2-year DFS but none of the 18F-FDG PET/CT parameters were associated with 2-year DFS. Conclusions: There is no correlation between the quantitative DWI-MRI and 18F-FDG PET/CT parameters derived from 12-week post-CRT studies. These parameters may be independent biomarkers however in this HPV OPC dominant cohort, only selected ADC parameters demonstrated prognostic significance. Study was prospectively registered at http://www.controlled-trials.com/ISRCTN58327080.

KW - carcinoma, squamous cell

KW - chemo-radiotherapy

KW - diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging

KW - head and neck cancer

KW - positron emission tomography

KW - posttreatment

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85105180857&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1002/cnr2.1360

DO - 10.1002/cnr2.1360

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85105180857

VL - 4

JO - Cancer Reports

JF - Cancer Reports

IS - 4

M1 - e1360

ER -