Associations Between Histogram Analysis DCE MRI Parameters and Complex ¹⁸F-FDG-PET Values in Head and Neck Squamous...

To analyze associations between parameters of positron-emission tomography (PET) and histogram analysis values of dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE) imaging in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC).

Overall, 28 patients with primary HNSCC of different localizations were involved. ¹⁸F-FDG-PET/CT and DCE MR imaging were performed for all patients. Histogram analysis parameters of DCE MRI were calculated. Spearman's correlation coefficient was used to analyze the associations between investigated parameters.

In the overall cohort, SUV_max correlated with K_ep P10 (ρ=0.43, p=0.027), K_ep P25 (0.40, p=0.035), and had a tendency to correlate with median K_ep (ρ=0.33, p=0.098). TLG tended to correlate with K_ep P25 (0.33, p=0.09) and P10 K_trans (ρ=0.35, p=0.07). In G1/2 tumors, SUV_max correlated with K_ep P10 (ρ=0.645, p=0.032), and tended to correlate with K_trans mean (ρ=0.54, p=0.089), K_trans min (ρ=0.58, p=0.06), K_trans P10 (ρ=0.56, p=0.07), K_trans P25 (ρ=0.59, p=0.056), and K_trans median (ρ=0.054, p=0.089), as well with K_ep min (ρ=0.56, p=0.07). SUVmean tended to correlate with K_ep kurtosis (ρ=0.56, p=0.07). In G3 tumors, no tendencies or statistically significant correlations between the PET and DCE MRI parameters were identified.

Tumor metabolism and perfusion show complex associations in HNSCC. These associations depend on tumor grading.