The Added Value of Apparent Diffusion Coefficient and Histogram Analysis in Assessing Treatment Response of Locally Advanced Cervical Cancer

Abstract

Objective The aim of the study is to assess the diagnostic performance of quantitative analysis of diffusion-weighted imaging in assessing treatment response in cervical cancer patients. Methods A retrospective analysis was done for 50 patients with locally advanced cervical cancer who received concurrent chemoradiotherapy and underwent magnetic resonance imaging and diffusion-weighted imaging. Treatment response was classified into 4 categories according to RECIST criteria 6 months after therapy completion. Apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values were measured using both region of interest (ROI) ADC and whole lesion (WL) ADC histogram for all cases at both baseline pretreatment and posttreatment Magnetic resonance imaging studies. Changes in ADC values were calculated and compared between groups. Results The percentage change of ROI-ADCmean at a cutoff value of >20 had excellent discrimination of responders versus nonresponders, while the percentage change of WL-ADCmean, ADCmin, and ADCmax at cutoff values of >12.5, >35.8, and > 19.6 had acceptable discrimination of responders versus nonresponders. Logistic regression analysis revealed that only baseline WL ADCmin was a statistically significant independent predictor of response. Cancer cervix patients with baseline ADCmin < or equal to 0.73 have 12.1 times higher odds of exhibiting a response. Conclusions The percentage change of ROI-ADCmean and WL histogram ADCmean values after concurrent chemoradiotherapy can predict response. Pretreatment WL histogram ADCmin was a statistically significant independent predictor of posttherapy response.