[¹⁸F]FDG PET/CT Radiomics in Cervical Cancer: A Systematic Review

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Medical Imaging
• Radiomics

Background:

• Cervical cancer poses a significant global health challenge, particularly in developing regions.
• [¹⁸F]FDG PET/CT is a key imaging tool, but analysis often relies on SUVmax.
• Radiomics offers potential to enhance PET/CT diagnostic and prognostic capabilities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize existing evidence on radiomics applied to [¹⁸F]FDG PET/CT in cervical cancer.
• To assess the quality and findings of current radiomics studies in this field.
• To identify the potential clinical utility of radiomics for cervical cancer management.

Main Methods:

• A systematic review adhering to PRISMA-P guidelines was conducted.
• Studies were identified via PubMed and Scopus, focusing on PET/CT radiomics in cervical cancer.
• Study quality was assessed using the Radiomics Quality Score (RQS v2.0).

Main Results:

• Twenty-two studies were included, with 19 focusing on locally advanced cervical cancer (LACC).
• Radiomic features showed significant associations with prognostic indicators like survival and treatment response in LACC.
• The median study quality (RQS) was moderate at 12/36.

Conclusions:

• Radiomic analysis of [¹⁸F]FDG PET/CT shows potential for improving survival prediction and personalizing care in cervical cancer.
• Further high-quality, well-designed studies are required to establish the clinical utility of radiomics.
• Enhanced radiomics analysis could improve diagnostic and prognostic performance beyond SUVmax.