The value of PET/CT radiomic texture analysis of primary mass and mediastinal lymph node on survival in patients with non-small cell lung cancer.

OBJECTIVE: This study was designed to determine the potential prognostic value of radiomic texture analysis and metabolic-volumetric parameters obtained from positron emission tomography (PET) in primary mass and metastatic hilar/mediastinal lymph nodes in stage 2-3 non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). METHODS: Images of patients diagnosed with stage 2-3 NSCLC who underwent 18F-FDG PET/CT imaging for staging up to 4 weeks before the start of treatment were evaluated using LIFEx software. Volume of interest (VOI) was generated from the primary tumor and metastatic lymph node separately, and volumetric and textural features were obtained from these VOIs. The relationship between the parameters obtained from PET of primary mass and the metastatic hilar/mediastinal lymph nodes with overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) was analyzed. RESULTS: When radiomic features, gender and stage obtained from lymph nodes were evaluated by Cox regression analysis; GLCM_correlation (p: 0.033, HR: 4,559, 1.660-12.521, 95% CI), gender and stage were determined as prognostic factors predicting OS. In predicting PFS; stage, smoking and lymph node MTV (p: 0.033, HR: 1.008, 1.001-1.016, 95% CI) were determined as prognostic factors. However, the radiomic feature of the primary tumor could not show a significant relationship with either OS or PFS. CONCLUSIONS: In a retrospective cohort of NSCLC patients with Stage 2 and 3 disease, volumetric and radiomic texture characteristics obtained from metastatic lymph nodes were associated with PFS and OS. Tumor heterogeneity, defined by radiomic texture features of 18 F-FDG PET/CT images, may provide complementary prognostic value in NSCLC.

The Effect on Survival and Mortality of the Highest SUVmax Value on Metastatic Foci in Postoperative Kidney Tumors.

OBJECTIVE: One-third of patients newly diagnosed with a kidney tumor have metachoronous disease, 25-50% have synchronous metastasis, and approximately 30-40% of patients have metastasis at the time of diagnosis. Metastasis mostly occurs in the lungs, regional lymph nodes, bones, and liver. The present study was aimed to determine the effect on mortality the values of standard uptake value (SUV)max measured with positron emission tomography (PET) in metastases of kidney tumors. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A retrospective review was conducted of the files of 77 patients newly diagnosed with kidney tumor and disease staging determined with PET in the Nuclear medicine Department of Saglik Bilimleri University Diyarbakir Gazi Yasargil Training and Research Hospital between August 2007 and April 2012. The gender, age, histological types, metastases, SUVmax values, and dates of death of the patients were recorded in the SPSS software. RESULTS: It was observed that higher SUVmax values indicated a shorter survival time (r = .303) (P = 0.022). Patients with metastasis lived for a shorter period (P < 0.001), particularly those with liver metastasis (r = .515) (P = 0.049). Metastases were most frequently seen in lymph nodes (42.1%); the SUVmax values of lung metastases were higher (P = 0.025) and papillary carcinomas showed higher SUVmax uptake (P = 0.015). CONCLUSIONS: In the present study, it was concluded that the higher the SUVmax value the shorter the survival time. The survival time of patients with metastasis was shorter, and this could be estimated through the measured SUVmax values.