Our purpose was to analyze associations between positron emission tomography (PET), diffusion weighted imaging (DWI), and dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE) imaging in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). The study involved 34 patients (9 women, 25 men, mean age: 56.7 ± 10.2 years). In all patients a simultaneous 18F-FDG-PET/MR was performed. DWI was obtained by using of an axial EPI sequence. Minimal ADC values (ADCmin), mean ADC values (ADCmean), and maximal ADC values (ADCmax) were estimated. DCE MRI was performed by using dynamic T1w DCE sequence. The following parameters were estimated: Ktrans, Ve, and Kep. Spearman's correlation coefficient was used to analyze associations between investigated parameters. In overall sample, ADCmean correlated significantly with Ve and Ktrans, ADCmin correlated with Ve, and ADCmax correlated with Ktrans and Ve. SUVmean tended to correlate slightly with Ktrans. In G1/2 tumors, only Ktrans correlated well with ADCmax and SUVmean. In G3 tumors, Ktrans correlated well with Kep and Ve. Ve showed significant correlations with ADCmean and ADCmax. Ktrans correlated with ADCmax. Kep was higher in cancers with N2/3 stages. Tumor metabolism, water diffusion, and tumor perfusion have complex relationships in HNSCC. Furthermore, these associations depend on tumor grading. Kep may predict lymphonodal metastasizing.

No abstract

Background Our purpose was to elucidate possible correlations between histogram parameters derived from dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI (DCE-MRI) with several histopathological features in head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC). Methods Thirty patients with primary HNSCC were prospectively acquired. Histogram analysis was derived from the DCE-MRI parameters: Ktrans, Kep, and Ve. Additionally, in all cases, expression of human papilloma virus (p16) hypoxia-inducible factor-1-alpha (Hif1-alpha), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), and tumor suppressor protein p53 were estimated. Results K ep kurtosis was significantly higher in p16 tumors, and Ve min was significantly lower in p16 tumors compared to the p16 negative tumors. In the overall sample, Kep entropy correlated well with EGFR expression (p=0.38, P=0.04). In p16 positive carcinomas, Ktrans max correlated with VEGF expression (p=0.46, P=0.04), Ktrans kurtosis correlated with Hif1-alpha expression (p=0.46, P=0.04), and Ktrans entropy correlated with EGFR expression (p=0.50, P=0.03). Regarding Kep parameters, mode correlated with VEGF expression (p=0.51, P=0.02), and entropy correlated with Hif1-alpha expression (p=0.47, P=0.04). In p16 negative carcinomas, Kep mode correlated with Her2 expression (p=−0.72, P=0.03), Ve max correlated with p53 expression (p=−0.80, P=0.009), and Ve p10 correlated with EGFR expression (p=0.68, P=0.04). Conclusion DCE-MRI can reflect several histopathological features in HNSCC. Associations between DCE-MRI and histopathology in HNSCC depend on p16 status. Kep kurtosis and Ve min can differentiate p16 positive and p16 negative carcinomas.

No abstract

No abstract