Associations between 18F-FDG-PET, DWI, and DCE Parameters in Patients with Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma Depend on Tumor Grading.

ABSTRACT

Our purpose was to analyze associations between positron emission tomography (PET), diffusion weighted imaging (DWI), and dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE) imaging in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). The study involved 34 patients (9 women, 25 men, mean age 56.7 ± 10.2 years). In all patients a simultaneous 18F-FDG-PET/MR was performed. DWI was obtained by using of an axial EPI sequence. Minimal ADC values (ADCmin), mean ADC values (ADCmean), and maximal ADC values (ADCmax) were estimated. DCE MRI was performed by using dynamic T1w DCE sequence. The following parameters were estimated Ktrans, Ve , and Kep. Spearman's correlation coefficient was used to analyze associations between investigated parameters. In overall sample, ADCmean correlated significantly with Ve and Ktrans, ADCmin correlated with Ve , and ADCmax correlated with Ktrans and Ve . SUVmean tended to correlate slightly with Ktrans. In G1/2 tumors, only Ktrans correlated well with ADCmax and SUVmean. In G3 tumors, Ktrans correlated well with Kep and Ve . Ve showed significant correlations with ADCmean and ADCmax. Ktrans correlated with ADCmax. Kep was higher in cancers with N2/3 stages. Tumor metabolism, water diffusion, and tumor perfusion have complex relationships in HNSCC. Furthermore, these associations depend on tumor grading. Kep may predict lymphonodal metastasizing.