Correlation between ¹⁸F-FDG PET-derived parameters and quantitative pathological characteristics of soft tissue...

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Nuclear Medicine
• Pathology

Background:

• ¹⁸F-fluorodeoxyglucose (¹⁸F-FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) is used for soft tissue sarcoma (STS) evaluation.
• Existing methods show uncertainties and require further exploration of findings' relevance.
• This study investigates the link between PET metabolic parameters and quantitative pathological features in STS.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the correlation between ¹⁸F-FDG PET metabolic parameters and quantitative pathological characteristics in STS.
• To determine if PET parameters can reflect specific cellular and molecular features of STS.
• To assess the potential of PET imaging in preclinical evaluation of STS.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 39 STS patients undergoing ¹⁸F-FDG PET/CT before treatment.
• Measurement of PET metabolic parameters: SUVmax, MTV, TLG, and IFH.
• Quantitative pathological analysis including histological grading, cell morphology, and immunohistochemistry (CD163, CD68, CD8, CD4).

Main Results:

• SUVmax positively correlated with total nuclear area and expression of CD163, CD68, CD8, and CD4.
• SUVmax was independently correlated with CD163 expression and histological grade.
• MTV, TLG, and IFH did not show significant correlations with pathological characteristics.

Conclusions:

• ¹⁸F-FDG uptake, particularly SUVmax, correlates with quantitative pathological features in STS.
• SUVmax may serve as a valuable indicator of M2 macrophage infiltration.
• PET imaging offers potential for enhanced preclinical evaluation of soft tissue sarcomas.