PET-MRI in the head and neck area: challenges and new directions

A Comparison of 18F-FDG-PET/MRI and 18F-FDG-PET/CT in the Cancer Staging of Locoregional Lymph Nodes

AIM

The aim of the study was to evaluate the yields of 2-deoxy-2-[¹⁸F]-fluoro-D-glucose positron-emission tomography/magnetic resonance imaging (¹⁸F-FDG-PET/MRI) and ¹⁸F-FDG-PET/computed tomography (CT) for the detection of metastatic involvement of locoregional neck nodes in patients with head and neck malignancy.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A total of 90 patients (66 men and 24 women) met the inclusion criteria. Preoperative staging was performed: 53 examinations using PET/CT and 37 using PET/MRI.

RESULTS

For PET/MRI, the study demonstrated a sensitivity of 89%, specificity of 64%, positive predictive value of 85%, and negative predictive value of 70%; PET/CT had a sensitivity of 95%, specificity 47%, positive predictive value of 82%, and negative predictive value of 78%.

CONCLUSION

Both methods have a high yield in N-clinical staging with statistically insignificant differences. We assume PET/MRI to be the first-choice method in organ-targeted examinations, for pediatric patients and repeat examinations. In cases of MRI contraindication, PET/CT can be used with no impact on the quality of care.

Validation of kinetic modeling of [15O]H2O PET using an image derived input function on hybrid PET/MRI

In present study we aimed to validate the use of image-derived input functions (IDIF) in the kinetic modeling of cerebral blood flow (CBF) measured by [¹⁵O]H₂O PET by comparing with the accepted reference standard arterial input function (AIF). Additional comparisons were made to mean cohort AIF and CBF values acquired by methodologically independent phase-contrast mapping (PCM) MRI. Using hybrid PET/MRI an IDIF was generated by measuring the radiotracer concentration in the internal carotid arteries and correcting for partial volume effects using the intravascular volume measured from MRI-angiograms. Seven patients with carotid steno-occlusive disease and twelve healthy controls were examined at rest, after administration of acetazolamide, and, in the control group, during hyperventilation. Agreement between the techniques was examined by linear regression and Bland-Altman analysis. Global CBF values modeled using IDIF correlated with values from AIF across perfusion states in both patients (p<10^-6, R²=0.82, 95% limits of agreement (LoA)=[-11.3-9.9] ml/100 g/min) and controls (p<10^-6, R²=0.87, 95% LoA=[-17.1-13.7] ml/100 g/min). The reproducibility of gCBF using IDIF was identical to AIF (15.8%). Values from IDIF and AIF had equally good correlation to measurements by PCM MRI, R²=0.86 and R²=0.84, (p<10^-6), respectively. Mean cohort AIF performed substantially worse than individual IDIFs (p<10^-6, R²=0.63, LoA=[-12.8-25.3] ml/100 g/min). In the patient group, use of IDIF provided similar reactivity maps compared to AIF. In conclusion, global CBF values modeled using IDIF correlated with values modeled by AIF and similar perfusion deficits could be established in a patient group.

Detection of Distant Metastases in Head and Neck Cancer: Changing Landscape

As head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) patients with distant metastases (DM) were generally treated only palliatively, the value of screening for DM was usually limited to attempts to avoid extensive locoregional treatment when DM were present pretreatment. Recently, the concept of treating oligometastases, e.g., by metastatectomy or stereotactic body radiotherapy, has been reintroduced for HNSCC and may cause a change in the treatment paradigm. Although whole body ¹⁸F-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) combined with computed tomography (CT; WB-FDG-PET/CT) is still the mainstay diagnostic technique, there is a growing body of evidence supporting implementation of whole body magnetic resonance imaging (WB-MRI) as an important diagnostic technique for screening for DM. Also, FDG-PET/MRI may become a valuable technique for the detection of DM in HNSCC patients. Because the yield of examinations for detection of DM is too low to warrant routine screening of all HNSCC patients, only patients with high risk factors should be selected for intense screening for DM. Clinical and histopathological risk factors are mainly related to the extent of lymph node metastases. Risk for development of DM may also be assessed by molecular characterization of the primary tumor using genomic and proteomic technologies and radiomics. More research is needed to develop a new protocol for screening for DM after introduction of the concept of treating oligometastases in HNSCC.

PET/MR in cancers of the head and neck

One early application of PET/MRI in clinical practice may be the imaging of head and neck cancers. This is because the morphologic imaging modalities, CT and MR, are recognized as similarly effective tools in cross-sectional oncological imaging of the head and neck. The addition of PET with FDG is believed to enhance the accuracy of both modalities to a similar degree. However, there are a few specific scenarios in head and neck cancer imaging where MR is thought to provide an edge over CT, including perineural spread of tumors and the infiltration of important anatomical landmarks, such as the prevertebral fascia and great vessel walls. Here, hybrid PET/MR might provide higher diagnostic certainty than PET/CT or a separate acquisition of PET/CT and MR. Another advantage of MR is the availability of several functional techniques. Although some of them might enhance the imaging of head and neck cancer with PET/MR, other functional techniques actually might prove dispensable in the presence of PET. In this overview, we discuss current trends and potential clinical applications of PET/MR in the imaging of head and neck cancers, including clinical protocols. We also discuss potential benefits of implementing functional MR techniques into hybrid PET/MRI of head and neck cancers.

Cell tracking technologies for acute ischemic brain injury

Stem cell therapy has showed considerable potential in the treatment of stroke over the last decade. In order that these therapies may be optimized, the relative benefits of growth factor release, immunomodulation, and direct tissue replacement by therapeutic stem cells are widely under investigation. Fundamental to the progress of this research are effective imaging techniques that enable cell tracking in vivo. Direct analysis of the benefit of cell therapy includes the study of cell migration, localization, division and/or differentiation, and survival. This review explores the various imaging tools currently used in clinics and laboratories, addressing image resolution, long-term cell monitoring, imaging agents/isotopes, as well as safety and costs associated with each technique. Finally, burgeoning tracking techniques are discussed, with emphasis on multimodal imaging.

PET/MRI and PET/CT in follow-up of head and neck cancer patients

PURPOSE

Positron emission tomography (PET)/MRI combines the functional ability of PET and the high soft tissue contrast of MRI. The aim of this study was to assess contrast-enhanced (ce)PET/MRI compared to cePET/CT in patients with suspected recurrence of head and neck cancer (HNC).

METHODS

Eighty-seven patients underwent sequential cePET/CT and cePET/MRI using a trimodality PET/CT-MRI set-up. Diagnostic accuracy for the detection of recurrent HNC was evaluated using cePET/CT and cePET/MRI. Furthermore, image quality, presence of unclear (18)F-fluorodeoxy-D-glucose (FDG) findings of uncertain significance and the diagnostic advantages of use of gadolinium contrast enhancement were analysed.

RESULTS

cePET/MRI showed no statistically significant difference in diagnostic accuracy compared to cePET/CT (91.5 vs 90.6%). Artefacts' grade was similar in both methods, but their location was different. cePET/CT artefacts were primarily located in the suprahyoid area, while on cePET/MRI, artefacts were more equally distributed among the supra and infrahyoid neck regions. cePET/MRI and cePET/CT showed 34 unclear FDG findings; of those 11 could be solved by cePET/MRI and 5 by cePET/CT. The use of gadolinium in PET/MRI did not yield higher diagnostic accuracy, but helped to better define tumour margins in 6.9% of patients.

CONCLUSION

Our data suggest that cePET/MRI may be superior compared to cePET/CT to specify unclear FDG uptake related to possible tumour recurrence in follow-up of patients after HNC. It seems to be the modality of choice for the evaluation of the oropharynx and the oral cavity because of a higher incidence of artefacts in cePET/CT in this area mainly due to dental implants. However, overall there is no statistically significant difference.

Usefulness of Integrated PET/MRI in Head and Neck Cancer: A Preliminary Study

PURPOSE

The new modality of an integrated positron emission tomography/magnetic resonance imaging (PET/MRI) has recently been introduced but not validated. Our objective was to evaluate clinical performance of (18)F-fluoro-2-deoxyglucose ((18)F-FDG) PET/MRI in patients with head and neck cancer.

METHODS

This retrospective study was conducted between January 2013 and February 2013. Ten patients (eight men, two women; mean age, 61.4 ± 13.4 years) with histologically proven head and neck tumors were enrolled. Whole-body PET/MRI and regional positron emission tomography (PET) with dedicated MRI were sequentially obtained. Maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax), SUVmean, metabolic tumor volume, total lesion glycolysis and contrast enhancement were analyzed. A total of ten whole-body positron emission tomography (PET), ten regional positron emission tomography (PET), ten dedicated MRI and ten regional PET/gadolinium-enhanced T1-weighted (Gd)-MRI images were analyzed for initial staging. Two nuclear medicine physicians analyzed positron emission tomography (PET) and PET/MRI with a consensus. One radiologist analyzed dedicated MRI. The primary lesions and number of metastatic lymph nodes analyzed from each image were compared.

RESULTS

Eight patients were diagnosed with head and neck cancer (one tongue cancer, four tonsillar cancers, one nasopharyngeal cancer and two hypopharyngeal cancers) by histological diagnosis. Two benign tumors (pleomorphic adenoma and Warthin tumor) were diagnosed with surgical operation. Whole-body positron emission tomography (PET) and regional positron emission tomography (PET) attenuated by MRI showed good image quality for the lesion detection. Whole-body positron emission tomography (PET) and regional positron emission tomography (PET) detected ten primary sites and compensated for a missed lesion on dedicated MRI. A discordant number of suspicious lymph node metastases was noted according to the different images; 22, 16, 39 and 40 in the whole-body positron emission tomography (PET) only, dedicated MR, regional positron emission tomography (PET) only and regional PET/Gd-MRI, respectively. There was no distant metastasis based on analysis of whole-body positron emission tomography (PET) and whole-body PET/Dixon-volume interpolated breathhold examination (VIBE) MRI. Regional PET/Gd-MRI combined with whole-body PET/MRI modified staging in three patients. Lesions of primary tumor and suspicious metastasis were well detected on both value of SUVmax and visual analysis. The regional PET/Gd-MRI combined with whole-body PET/MRI showed convenient clinical staging performance compared with positron emission tomography (PET) and MRI alone.

CONCLUSION

In this preliminary study, PET attenuated by MRI showed good image quality to detect lesions. And whole-body PET/MRI as a single modality was feasible for staging in a clinical setting. Whole-body positron emission tomography (PET), regional positron emission tomography (PET), dedicated MRI and regional PET/Gd-MRI showed discordant results in lesion detection. These discordant results might be synergistic effect for accurate staging.