99m Tc-tetrofosmin brain SPECT has been reported as a useful tool for the evaluation of glioma proliferation. In the present study, we set out to investigate the prognostic value of 99m Tctetrofosmin brain SPECT in patients with glioblastoma multiforme. Methods: We prospectively studied 18 patients (13 men, 5 women; mean age 6 SD, 60.8 6 7.79 y) who were operated on for glioblastoma multiforme. All patients underwent preoperative 99m Tc-tetrofosmin brain SPECT, and surgical excision was performed within a week after SPECT. All patients received postoperative radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Results: By calculating the lesion-to-normal (L/N) 99m Tc-tetrofosmin uptake ratio, we found that patients with an L/N ratio of more than 4.7 had significantly worse survival than did patients with an L/N ratio of 4.7 or less. Furthermore, patients with a Karnofsky Performance Score more than 90 had a significantly better survival rate. Although patients with near-total tumor resection who were younger than 60 y survived longer, the difference did not reach statistical significance. In the multivariate analysis, 99m Tc-tetrofosmin uptake and Karnofsky Performance Score were identified as factors with independent prognostic power. Conclusion: 99m Tc-tetrofosmin brain SPECT may be an independent prognostic factor in patients with glioblastoma multiforme. Further larger studies are needed to verify these results.Key Words: 99m Tc-tetrofosmin; brain SPECT; glioblastoma multiforme; survival Nucl Med 2010; 51:1923 51: -1926 51: DOI: 10.2967 Gl ioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is by far the most common and most malignant of the glial tumors occurring in adults. This devastating disease is usually incurable, and patients have a median survival time of approximately 1 y after diagnosis (1). Nevertheless, a subset of patients demonstrates long-term survival of 3 y or more (2). Prognostic factors that have been identified, such as age at diagnosis, Karnofsky Performance Score (KPS), and extent of resection, inadequately predict outcome (1,3-5). Moreover, although certain genetic factors have been associated with overall survival (OS), no sufficient, reliable, and validated biomarker has been established for clinical practice (2,6). The identification of prognostic variables in GBM patients is a major challenge and could increase the prognostic accuracy, identify patients who may benefit from more aggressive treatments, and allow for the selection of more homogeneous experimental populations in ongoing clinical trials.
JBrain SPECT has been established as a useful tool for the evaluation of brain tumors (7-9). We have previously reported that 99m Tc-tetrofosmin uptake correlates with glioma proliferative potential, as assessed by the Ki-67 immunohistochemical index and flow cytometry (10,11). Because of the established prognostic value of Ki-67 in gliomas (12), we set out to investigate the correlation between pretreatment 99m Tc-tetrofosmin tumor uptake and OS in patients with GBM.
MATERIALS AND METHODSWe prospectively studied 18 newly diagn...