Prognostic value of 18F-FDG PET/CT prior to breast cancer treatment. Comparison with magnetic resonance spectroscopy and diffusion weighted imaging.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the prognostic value of pretreatment fluorine-18-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (18F-FDG PET/CT), magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS), and diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) in breast cancer patients. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Eighty-three patients who had a tumor larger than 2cm shown by 18F-FDG PET/CT and by 3-Tesla breast MRI, received neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) and subsequent surgical resection. Relationships of PET parameters, including maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax), metabolic tumor volume (MTV), and total lesion glycolysis (TLG), as well as total choline peak and mean apparent diffusion coefficient (ADCmean) of the primary tumor were evaluated, along with the clinicopathologic factors relapse-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) using log-rank and Cox tests. RESULTS: Median overall follow-up was 36.3 months (16.1-76.9 months), during which 11 patients had recurrence and 4 died. Results of receiver operating characteristics curve analysis and log-rank tests showed that high primary tumor SUVmax (≥6.20), MTV (≥5.39), TLG (≥23.23), and total choline peak (≥12.1) values indicated significantly worse RFS as compared to lower values (<6.20, <5.39, <23.23, <12.1, respectively) (P=0.0085, P=0.0029, P=0.013, P=0.016, respectively). The ADC cut-off value (0.833×10-3) was not significant. Furthermore, elevated SUVmax, MTV, TLG, and choline peak levels, progesterone receptor (PR) negative finding, high Ki-67 expression, metastasis to an axillary lymph node, and advanced TNM staging were significantly associated with recurrence, and elevated SUVmax and TLG, PR-negative finding, and axillary node metastases were significantly associated with death. CONCLUSION: Fluorine-18-FDG PET/CT was superior as compared to MRS and DWI for determining recurrence and death prognostic factors, especially primary tumor SUVmax and TLG, in patients with breast cancer.

Assessment of tumor response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy in patients with breast cancer using MRI and FDG-PET/CT-RECIST 1.1 vs. PERCIST 1.0.

Therapeutic response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) for breast cancer based on Positron Emission Tomography Response Criteria in Solid Tumors (PERCIST) 1.0 with FDG-PET/CT measurements was evaluated, and the results compared to those obtained with currently widely used Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) 1.1, based on MRI measurements. MRI and FDG-PET/CT examinations were performed in 32 breast cancer patients before and after the NAC prior to a surgical resection. Chemotherapeutic response of the primary tumor and relapse-free survival (RFS) were investigated using RECIST 1.1 and PERCIST 1.0. Pathological complete response (pCR) was seen in 14 (43.8%) patients, while complete response (CR) was noted in 5, partial response in 25, stable disease in 2, and progressive disease in 0 with RECIST 1.1, and in 28, 2, 1, and 1, respectively, with PERCIST 1.0. For pCR prediction, the sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy with RECIST 1.1 were 28.6% (4/14), 94.4% (17/18), and 65.6% (21/32), and those with PERCIST 1.0 were 100% (14/14), 22.2% (4/18), and 56.3% (18/32). Five patients (15.6%) had recurrent development after a median period of 24 months (range 7.8-66.8 months). Patients who achieved CR shown by RECIST 1.1 showed slightly longer RFS than those who did not (p=0.46), whereas those with complete metabolic response (CMR) based on PERCIST 1.0 showed a relatively longer RFS than non-CMR patients (p=0.087). For prediction of pathological response to NAC in breast cancer, RECIST 1.1 and PERCIST 1.0 have complementary functions, however, FDG-PET as a post-NAC treatment assessment modality remains to be confirmed.

11C-Choline positive but 18F-FDG negative pancreatic metastasis from renal cell carcinoma on PET.

Choline is a new PET tracer, which uptake may occur via a choline-specific transporter protein and be accelerated during the proliferation of tumor cells. We report a 61-year-old woman with a metastatic pancreatic tumor from renal cell carcinoma, measuring 35×40 mm. PET scans demonstrated accumulation of 11C-choline in the metastatic pancreatic tumor, but no accumulation of 18F-FDG. Choline PET/CT may play a useful and complementary imaging modality, especially when FDG-PET/CT does not show expected findings or when the evaluation of tumor viability is needed, in patients with renal cell carcinoma.

[Influences of Tumor Volume and FWHM of the Water Peak and T2* Value of Water on the Detection Rate of the Choline Peaks in Proton MR Spectroscopy of Breast Cancer at 3.0 T-MRI].

In proton magnetic resonance (MR) spectroscopy (1H-MRS) of the breast cancer, choline peak could be detected. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the influences of the tumor volume, full width at half maximum (FWHM) of the water peak (FWHM), and T2* value of water (T2* value) on the detection rate of the choline peaks at 3.0 T-MRI. We measured FWHM and T2* value in 109 cases, and we evaluated the effect of tumor volume on the detection rate of the choline peaks and the effect of FWHM and T2* value on the detection of choline peaks. In 1H-MRS of breast cancer at 3.0 T-MRI, the detection rate of the choline peaks improved as the tumor volume was larger. As a shimming environment when acquiring 1H-MRS of breast cancer, FWHM is preferably 57.4 Hz or less and T2* value should be 11 ms or more, and T2* value has a great influence on the detection rate of the choline peaks.

Effects of menstrual cycle on background parenchymal enhancement and detectability of breast cancer on dynamic contrast-enhanced breast MRI: A multicenter study of an Asian population.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effect of the menstrual cycle on BPE and cancer detectability in an Asian population. MATERIAL AND METHODS: 266 premenopausal patients with regular menstrual cycles from 24 centers were included, and 176 of them were diagnosed by pathology as having breast cancer. Thirty-five patients were examined in the menstrual phase (days 1-4), 105 in the proliferative phase (days 5-14), and 126 in the secretory phase (days 15-30). Measurement of the following signal intensities (SIs) were obtained: breast tissue on the unaffected side on a pre-contrast image (SI1) and an early-phase image (SI2); the SIs of breast tissue on the affected side on a pre-contrast image (SI3) and an early-phase image (SI4); and the SIs of breast cancer on a pre-contrast image (SI5) and an early-phase image (SI6). We calculated the BPE ratio, i.e., (SI2- SI1)/SI1 and the cancer/background enhancement ratio (C/B) ratio, i.e., (SI6- SI5) / (SI4- SI3). The BPE was classified as minimal, mild, moderate, or marked, and the cancer detectability was classified as excellent, good, or poor independently by two radiologists. RESULTS: The average C/B ratio was 20.1, 15.7, and 9.1 at the menstrual, proliferative, and secretory phases (p < 0.001). BPE was determined as moderate or marked in 0% and 5.4% at the menstrual phase, 10.3% and 11.0% at the proliferative phase, and 17.5% and 21.7% at the secretory phase by the two observers, respectively (p = 0.01, p = 0.01). The detectability of breast cancer was classified as poor in 0% and 0%, 1.4% and 13.0%, and 8.0% and 22.1% at the menstrual, proliferative, and secretory phases by the two observers, respectively (p = 0.07, p = 0.02). CONCLUSION: The menstrual phase and the proliferative phase seem to be suitable for breast MRI of Asian women.

Prognostic value of FDG-PET and DWI in breast cancer.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the prognostic value of preoperative FDG-PET/CT and diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) in patients with breast cancer. METHODS: A total of 73 patients with newly diagnosed invasive breast cancer who had undergone preoperative whole-body FDG-PET/CT and 3-Tesla breast MRI including DWI followed by surgery were identified. Effects of primary tumor PET parameters [maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax), mean SUV (SUVmean), metabolic tumor volume (MTV), and total lesion glycolysis (TLG)] and DWI parameters [mean apparent diffusion coefficient (ADCmean) and minimum ADC (ADCmin)] including clinicopathologic factors on disease-free survival (DFS) were retrospectively evaluated using the log-rank and Cox methods. RESULTS: After a median overall follow-up of 32.3 months in all patients, 6 (8.2%) of the 73 patients had recurrence. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis and log-rank tests showed that patients with a high primary tumor SUVmax (≥ 3.60), MTV (≥ 3.15), and TLG (≥ 16.0) had a significantly lower DFS rate than those with a low SUVmax (< 3.60), MTV (< 3.15), and TLG (< 16.0), respectively (p = 0.0054, p = 0.0054, and p < 0.0001, respectively). SUVmean, ADCmean, and ADCmin were not significantly associated with recurrence. Univariate analysis showed that SUVmax (p = 0.0054), MTV (p = 0.0054), TLG (p < 0.0001), tumor size (p = 0.0083), estrogen receptor negativity (p = 0.046), progesterone receptor negativity (p = 0.0023), human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 positivity (p = 0.043), and the presence of axillary lymph node metastasis (p = 0.0037) were also significantly associated with recurrence. However, in multivariate analysis, none of them were an independent factor. CONCLUSIONS: The preoperative SUVmax, MTV, and TLG of primary breast cancer are prognostic factors for recurrence, whereas ADC values are not.

Development of a Three-dimensional Surgical Navigation System with Magnetic Resonance Angiography and a Three-dimensional Printer for Robot-assisted Radical Prostatectomy.

We sought to develop a surgical navigation system using magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) and a three-dimensional (3D) printer for robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP). Six patients with pathologically proven localized prostate cancer were prospectively enrolled in this study. Prostate magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), consisting of T2-weighted sampling perfection with application-optimized contrasts using different flip-angle evolutions (SPACE) and true fast imaging with steady-state precession (true FISP), reconstructed by volume rendering, was followed by dynamic contrast-enhanced MRA performed with a volumetric interpolated breath-hold examination (VIBE) during intravenous bolus injection of gadobutrol. Images of arterial and venous phases were acquired over approximately 210 seconds. Selected images were sent to a workstation for generation of 3D volume-rendered images and standard triangulated language (STL) files for 3D print construction. The neurovascular bundles (NVBs) were found in sequence on non-contrast images. Accessory pudendal arteries (APAs) were found in all cases in the arterial phase of contrast enhancement but were ill-defined on non-contrast enhanced MRA. Dynamic contrast-enhanced MRA helped to detect APAs, suggesting that this 3D system using MRI will be useful in RARP.

Sertoli-stromal cell tumor of the right ovary: radiological-pathological correlation.

A case of Sertoli-stromal cell tumor of the right ovary is reported. The patient was a 50-year-old perimenopausal woman with abdominal distention due to a large pelvic tumor. She had no signs of androgen excess. A large solid sponge-like tumor with multicystic areas throughout, in which there were some small hemorrhagic spots, was shown on magnetic resonance (MR) imaging. No endometrial thickening of the uterus was seen. Pathology examination revealed a Sertoli-stromal cell tumor with intermediate-to-poor differentiation. The edematous, watery, sponge-like appearance on the MR images correlated with the pathological findings.

11C-Choline-Avid but 18F-FDG-Nonavid Prostate Cancer with Lymph Node Metastases on Positron Emission Tomography.

Choline is a new positron emission tomography (PET) tracer useful for detection of prostate cancer and metastatic lesions. We report a 70-year-old man with prostate cancer and multiple abdominal, pelvic, and inguinal node metastases. PET scans demonstrated accumulation of 11C-choline in the primary tumor and lymph node metastases but no accumulation of 18F-FDG. Choline PET/computed tomography may be useful for diagnosis of advanced prostate cancer with suspected metastatic lesions and treatment planning.

Correlation of the SUVmax of FDG-PET and ADC values of diffusion-weighted MR imaging with pathologic prognostic factors in breast carcinoma.

PURPOSE: To correlate both primary lesion maximum standardized uptake values (SUVmax) of FDG-PET/CT, and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values of diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) with clinicopathologic prognostic factors in patients with breast carcinoma. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 214 patients with 216 mass-type invasive breast carcinomas underwent whole-body FDG-PET/CT and 3-Tesla breast MRI including DWI before initial therapy. The primary tumor's SUVmax and ADC values were measured using FDG-PET/CT and DWI, respectively. Histologic analysis parameters included tumor size, expression of estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2), and Ki-67, nuclear grade, histology subtype, and axillary lymph node (LN) metastasis. The relationships among SUVmax, ADC values, and pathologic prognostic factors were evaluated. RESULTS: The mean SUVmax and ADCmean were 5.63±3.79 (range, 1.2-24.17) and 894±204×10(-6)mm(2)/s (range, 452-1550×10(-6)), respectively. There was a significant but weak inverse correlation between the SUVmax and ADCmean values (correlation coefficient r=-0.30, p<0.0001). SUVmax was associated with numerous prognostic factors such as tumor size (p<0.0001), expression levels of ER (p=0.00041), PR (p=0.00028), HER2 (p=0.00021), and Ki-67 (p<0.0001), nuclear grade (p<0.0001), histology subtype (p=0.00061), axillary LN metastasis (p<0.0001), and TNM staging (p<0.0001). Meanwhile, ADCmean value was associated with tumor size (p=0.013), expression of Ki-67 (p=0.0010), histology subtype (p=0.00013), axillary LN metastasis (p=0.00059), and TNM staging (p=0.0011). CONCLUSIONS: Primary tumor SUVmax on FDG-PET/CT has a stronger relationship with known prognostic parameters and may be a more useful for predicting the prognosis of breast carcinoma than ADC values.

Diagnostic and prognostic value of (18)F-FDG PET/CT for axillary lymph node staging in patients with breast cancer.

PURPOSE: To investigate the diagnostic and prognostic value of (18)F-FDG-PET/CT for axillary lymph node (LN) staging in breast cancer patients, employing histologic evaluation as the reference. METHODS: Among 196 patients with biopsy-proven breast cancer who had undergone (18)F-FDG-PET/CT before mastectomy or breast-conserving surgery with sentinel LN biopsy and/or axillary LN dissection, 200 axillae were retrospectively analyzed by visual assessment and quantitatively using SUVmax. LN SUVmax as well as other clinicopathological features were assessed for their prognostic value using the log-rank test and Cox method. RESULTS: Metastasis was diagnosed histopathologically in 56 (28 %) axillae. The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of visual PET/CT for diagnosing node metastasis were 55.4, 95.8, and 84.5 %, respectively. When the optimal discriminative SUVmax cutoff was 1.5, these figures were 51.8, 97.2, and 84.5 %, respectively. Fourteen of 55 patients (25.5 %) with LN metastases suffered a recurrence during follow-up (median 39 months). Patients with a high nodal SUVmax (≥1.7) had a significantly lower progression-free survival rate than those with a low SUVmax (p = 0.0499). Axillary nodal and primary tumor SUVmax as well as estrogen receptor status were significantly associated with recurrence. CONCLUSION: Axillary nodal SUVmax may be a prognostic indicator of disease recurrence in patients with axillary LN metastases.

Serial fetal magnetic resonance imaging of cloacal exstrophy.

Cloacal exstrophy (CE) is a rare congenital malformation involving the urinary, intestinal, and genital systems. We present a case of CE in which characteristic findings were detected at two serial fetal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) sessions. At 18 weeks' gestation, the initial fetal MRI revealed a cystic mass protruding from the infra-umbilical abdominal wall. During fetal development, the cystic mass disappeared, and an omphalocele and heterogeneous soft tissue mass were recognized at 28 weeks' gestation. The bladder was not visualized on either examination. CE can be diagnosed by prenatal MRI, thereby permitting prenatal counseling and appropriate postnatal management.

Diagnostic accuracy of a volume-rendered computed tomography movie and other computed tomography-based imaging methods in assessment of renal vascular anatomy for laparoscopic donor nephrectomy.

To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of computed tomography (CT)-based imaging methods for assessing renal vascular anatomy, imaging studies, including standard axial CT, three-dimensional volume-rendered CT (3DVR-CT), and a 3DVR-CT movie, were performed on 30 patients who underwent laparoscopic donor nephrectomy (10 right side, 20 left side) for predicting the location of the renal arteries and renal, adrenal, gonadal, and lumbar veins. These findings were compared with videos obtained during the operation. Two of 37 renal arteries observed intraoperatively were missed by standard axial CT and 3DVR-CT, whereas all arteries were identified by the 3DVR-CT movie. Two of 36 renal veins were missed by standard axial CT and 3DVR-CT, whereas 1 was missed by the 3DVR-CT movie. In 20 left renal hilar anatomical structures, 20 adrenal, 20 gonadal, and 22 lumbar veins were observed during the operation. Preoperatively, the standard axial CT, 3DVR-CT, and 3DVR-CT movie detected 11, 19, and 20 adrenal veins; 13, 14, and 19 gonadal veins; and 6, 11, and 15 lumbar veins, respectively. Overall, of 135 renal vascular structures, the standard axial CT, 3DVR-CT, and 3DVR-CT movie accurately detected 99 (73.3%), 113 (83.7%), and 126 (93.3%) vessels, respectively, which indicated that the 3DVR-CT movie demonstrated a significantly higher detection rate than other CT-based imaging methods (P < 0.05). The 3DVR-CT movie accurately provides essential information about the renal vascular anatomy before laparoscopic donor nephrectomy.