Measurement by multidetector CT scan of the volume of hypopharyngeal and laryngeal tumours: accuracy and reproducibility

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to register the accuracy and reproducibility of the multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) estimate of hypopharyngeal and laryngeal tumor volumes. Eighteen consecutive patients with larynx or hypopharynx squamous cell carcinoma were enrolled in this prospective trial, scheduled for surgery and examined by MDCT. A total of 72 tumor volume measurements were reported by two different operators, one of them in three different sessions, using the sum-of-areas method. The results were compared with the volume calculated by surgical sampling. The mean tumor volume measured by MDCT was 5.7 +/- 9.3 ml (range 0.1-41.6). The mean volume measured from the surgical specimens was 5.6 +/- 8.6 ml (range 0.06-33.6). The level of agreement between histological and MDCT volumes was high, with a slight tendency of MDCT to overestimation, proportional to the size. The analysis of interoperator variability showed a tendency of the more expert operator to make more accurate estimates, but the differences were not significant (P = 0.62, 0.75 and 0.63). The evaluation of the three different sessions of the less expert operator revealed a good repeatability. According to our study, MDCT estimate of tumor volume is an effective, reproducible method. MDCT tends to produce more dispersed results in case of large tumors.

Tumor volume as prognostic factor in chemoradiation for advanced head and neck cancer

“…Studies on this subject have reported inconsistent results. 42,43 In our study, the interobserver differences in the volumes of the 50 multiple delineated patients were relatively small (mean, 7.6%) and constant across the range of volumes.…”

Role of CT Perfusion in Monitoring and Prediction of Response to Therapy of Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma

“…The assessment of tumour volume changes after treatment by CT may be used as an objective and reproducible technique for therapy monitoring, with good correlation with histology [18]. …”

CT perfusion in solid-body tumours. Part I: technical issues

“…The relatively low costs, the broad spectrum of diseases that can be investigated, the simple standardisation of protocols and the wide availability of scanners have made CT the main diagnostic technique for staging tumours and monitoring antitumour therapy. The technique's high spatial resolution enables precise and repeatable measurements [1] of tumour dimensions such that in many regions they are comparable with pathology findings [2][3][4][5] and are able to fulfil criteria for monitoring tumour response to universally recognised treatment regimens: unidimensional for the Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumours (RECIST) and bidimensional for the World Health Organization (WHO) [6].…”

“…I costi relativamente bassi, l'ampio spettro di patologie indagabili, la facile standardizzazione dei protocolli e l'ampia disponibilità sul territorio, hanno fatto sì che la TC sia la tecnica diagnostica principale nella stadiazione dei tumori e nel monitoraggio delle terapie anti-tumorali. L'elevata risoluzione spaziale consente misurazioni esatte e ripetibili [1] delle dimensioni delle lesioni neoplastiche, tanto da essere paragonabili a quelle dell'anatomia patologica in molti distretti [2][3][4][5] e da soddisfare i criteri di monitoraggio della risposta dei tumori alle terapie universalmente riconosciuti: monodimensionali per il Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) e bidimensionali per il World Health Organization (WHO) [6].…”