An exploratory pilot study into the association between microcirculatory parameters derived by MRI-based pharmacokinetic analysis and glucose utilization estimated by PET-CT imaging in head and neck cancer

• Published in: European radiology Vol. 20; no. 10; pp. 2358 - 2366
• Main Authors: Bisdas, Sotirios, Seitz, Oliver, Middendorp, Markus, Chambron-Pinho, Nicole, Bisdas, Theodosios, Vogl, Thomas J., Hammerstingl, Renate, Ernemann, Ulrike, Mack, Martin G.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer-Verlag 01.10.2010; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Area Under Curve; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell - diagnosis; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell - pathology; Diagnostic Radiology; Female; Fluorodeoxyglucose F18 - pharmacology; Glucose; Glucose - pharmacokinetics; Head & neck cancer; Head and Neck; Head and Neck Neoplasms - diagnosis; Head and Neck Neoplasms - pathology; Humans; Imaging; Internal Medicine; Interventional Radiology; Kinetics; Magnetic resonance imaging; Magnetic Resonance Imaging - methods; Male; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Metabolism; Microcirculation; Middle Aged; Muscles - pathology; Neuroradiology; Pharmacokinetics; Pilot Projects; Positron-Emission Tomography - methods; Radiology; Tomography, X-Ray Computed - methods; Tumors; Ultrasound; Germany; Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; PET-CT imaging; Carcinoma; Magnetic resonance imaging; Squamous cell; Functional tumour imaging
• ISSN: 0938-7994; 1432-1084
• DOI: 10.1007/s00330-010-1803-x

Objectives: To examine the feasibility of deriving quantitative microcirculatory parameters and to investigate the relationship between vascular and metabolic characteristics of head and neck tumours in vivo, using dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE) MRI and fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) PET imaging. Methods: Twenty-seven patients with primary squamous cell carcinoma (SCCA) underwent DCE-MRI and combined PET/CT imaging. DCE-MRI data were post-processed by using commercially available software. Transfer constant ( K trans ), extravascular extracellular blood volume ( v e ), transfer constant from the extracellular extravascular space to plasma ( k ep ) and iAUC (initial area under the signal intensity–time curve) were calculated. 3D static PET data were acquired and standardised uptake values (SUV) calculated. Results: All microcirculatory parameters in tumours were higher than in normal muscle tissue ( P  ≤ 0.0019). Significant correlations were shown between k ep and K trans ( ρ  = 0.77), v e and k ep ( ρ  = −0.7), and iAUC and v e ( ρ  = 0.53). Significant correlations were observed for SUV mean and v e as well as iAUC ( ρ  = 0.42 and ρ  = 0.66, respectively). SUV max was significantly correlated with iAUC ( ρ  = 0.69). Conclusions: The demonstrated relationships between vascular and metabolic characteristics of primary SCCA imply a complex interaction between vascular delivery characteristics and tumour metabolism. The lack of correlation between SUV and K trans / k ep suggests that both diagnostic techniques may provide complementary information.