Combined average standard uptake value and rate constant can predict expression of EGFR in hypopharyngeal squamous...

To investigate whether the quantitative multiparameters of ¹⁸F-FDG PET/MRI can predict expression of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) of hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (HSCC).

Twenty-one patients with HSCC confirmed by biopsy underwent neck integrated ¹⁸F-FDG PET/MRI and EGFR expression detection. Quantitative parameters derived from ¹⁸F-FDG PET, difusion-weighted imaging (DWI), and dynamic contrast enhanced-magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) were measured. The efficacies of quantitative multiparameters derived from ¹⁸F-FDG PET/MRI for predicting the expression of EGFR of HSCC were evaluated.

The patients were divided into positive expression group (PEG, n = 14) and negative expression group (NEG, n = 7). Mann-Whitney U nonparametric test showed that SUV_mean and K_ep had statistical difference between PEG and NPG, while other parameters had no statistical difference. Using 14.50 and 2.10 min^-1 as the threshold values, areas under the curve (AUCs) for SUV_mean and K_ep were 0.786 with specificity of 92.9 % and sensitivity of 57.1 %. The combined use of SUV_mean and K_ep had better efficacy to evaluate the expression of EGFR with AUC of 0.980, sensitivity of 92.9 %, and specificity of 100.0 %.

Combined use of SUV_mean and K_ep showed good performance in predicting the expression of EGFR in HSCC. Integrated ¹⁸F-FDG PET/MRI enables simultaneous acquisition of SUV_mean and K_ep, so it represents as a powerful tool to noninvasively and repeatably evaluate the expression of EGFR during the management of HSCC.