Usefulness of perfusion CT to assess response to neoadjuvant combined chemoradiotherapy in patients with locally advanced rectal cancer

Perfusion Computed Tomography in Rectal Carcinoma: Influence of Optimization of the Patlak Range on Calculation of Equivalent Blood Volume and Flow Extraction

PURPOSE

The aim of the study is to assess the influence of manual adjustment of the Patlak range in computed tomography (CT) perfusion analysis of rectal carcinoma compared with default range of the perfusion software.

METHODS

This study was approved by the institutional review board and informed consent was obtained. Twenty-one patients (12 male, 9 female; mean age ± SD, 59 ± 11 years) with rectal cancer were included and underwent perfusion CT before preoperative chemoradiotherapy. Equivalent blood volume (BV) and flow-extraction (FE) were calculated using the Patlak plot model. Two perfusion sets were calculated per patient, a perfusion set using the default setting as provided by the software (dBV, dFE) and an optimized perfusion set after manual adaption of the Patlak range (aBV, aFE), which was limited to the intravascular space clearance of contrast to the extravascular space. Perfusion values calculated with both methods were compared for significance in differences using the Wilcoxon test. A P value of 0.05 or less was defined as statistically significant.

RESULTS

Adjustment of the Patlak range statistically significantly influenced BV and FE calculation. Median dBV was 23.2 mL/100 mL (interquartile range [IQR], 12.1 mL/100 mL), whereas median aBV was 20.3 mL/100 mL (IQR, 10.9 mL/100 mL). The difference in BV was statistically significant ( P = 0.021). Median dFE was 8.3 mL/min/100 mL (IQR, 4.7 mL/min/100 mL), whereas median aFE was 15.4 mL/min/100 mL (IQR, 5.8 mL/min/100 mL). The difference in FE was statistically significant ( P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings indicate that in perfusion CT of rectal carcinoma, adjustment of the Patlak range may significantly influence BV and FE compared with default setting of the software. This may contribute to standardization in the use of this technique for functional imaging of rectal cancer.

A Systematic Review on the Role of the Perfusion Computed Tomography in Abdominal Cancer

Background and purpose

Perfusion Computed Tomography (CTp) is an imaging technique which allows quantitative and qualitative evaluation of tissue perfusion through dynamic CT acquisitions. Since CTp is still considered a research tool in the field of abdominal imaging, the aim of this work is to provide a systematic summary of the current literature on CTp in the abdominal region to clarify the role of this technique for abdominal cancer applications.

Materials and Methods

A systematic literature search of PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus was performed to identify original articles involving the use of CTp for clinical applications in abdominal cancer since 2011. Studies were included if they reported original data on CTp and investigated the clinical applications of CTp in abdominal cancer.

Results

Fifty-seven studies were finally included in the study. Most of the included articles (33/57) dealt with CTp at the level of the liver, while a low number of studies investigated CTp for oncologic diseases involving UGI tract (8/57), pancreas (8/57), kidneys (3/57), and colon–rectum (5/57).

Conclusions

Our study revealed that CTp could be a valuable functional imaging tool in the field of abdominal oncology, particularly as a biomarker for monitoring the response to anti-tumoral treatment.

Opportunities in cancer imaging: a review of oesophageal, gastric and colorectal malignancies

The incidence of gastrointestinal (GI) malignancy is increasing worldwide. In particular, there is a concerning rise in incidence of GI cancer in younger adults. Direct endoscopic visualisation of luminal tumour sites requires invasive procedures, which are associated with certain risks, but remain necessary because of limitations in current imaging techniques and the continuing need to obtain tissue for diagnosis and genetic analysis; however, management of GI cancer is increasingly reliant on non-invasive, radiological imaging to diagnose, stage, and treat these malignancies. Oesophageal, gastric, and colorectal malignancies require specialist investigation and treatment due to the complex nature of the anatomy, biology, and subsequent treatment strategies. As cancer imaging techniques develop, many opportunities to improve tumour detection, diagnostic accuracy and treatment monitoring present themselves. This review article aims to report current imaging practice, advances in various radiological modalities in relation to GI luminal tumour sites and describes opportunities for GI radiologists to improve patient outcomes.

A prospective feasibility study evaluating the role of multimodality imaging and liquid biopsy for response assessment in locally advanced rectal carcinoma

PURPOSE

Colorectal cancer is a commonly encountered disease that poses several diagnostic and therapeutic challenges. The inherent heterogeneity of tumor biology and propensity to relapse despite "curative" resection pose significant challenges with regard to response assessment. Although MR imaging already plays a key role in primary staging of patients with rectal carcinoma, its reliability in restaging after neoadjuvant therapy is debatable (Van der broek et al. in Dis Colon Rectum 60(3):274-283, 2017). Therefore, there is significant interest in developing additional methods which may improve diagnostic accuracy. This study aims to evaluate the role of multimodality imaging and liquid biopsy in therapeutic response assessment.

METHODS

Seventeen patients were enrolled into the study over a span of 24 months. All underwent hybrid PET-MRI and CT-perfusion (CT-P), prior to and following neoadjuvant therapy for locally advanced rectal carcinoma. Twelve of the 17 patients also underwent liquid biopsy, which consisted of blood sampling and analysis of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) and extracellular vesicles (EVs), including cell fragments and microparticles (MPs), using the Cell Search System (Menarini Silicon Biosystems). SUV, DWI, and ADC were calculated during PET-MRI, and several parameters were evaluated during CT-perfusion, including average perfusion, blood flow (BF), blood volume (BV), mean transit time (MTT), permeability-surface area product (PS), contrast extraction efficiency (E), and K-trans (K). Changes observed pre- and post-neoadjuvant therapy in each modality were compared to tumor response at histopathology using a modified Ryan tumor regression grading system.

RESULTS

Of the 17 patients included in the study, 14 were classified as non-responders, and 3 were classified as responders as determined by the modified Ryan Tumor Regression Grade (TRG) scoring system (Van der broek et al. in Dis Colon Rectum 60(3):274-283, 2017). When combined, blood markers and CT-P parameters (mean transit time (MTT), K-trans, and permeability-surface area product (PS)) produced the strongest models (p < 0.01). PET (SUV measurement) combined with CT-P-derived K-trans produced a marginally significant (p = 0.057) model for predicting response. MRI-derived ADC value did not provide a significant model for response prediction.

CONCLUSION

A model of CT-P parameters plus liquid biopsy more accurately predicts tumor response than PET-MRI, CT-P alone, or liquid biopsy alone. These results suggest that in the evaluation of treatment response, liquid biopsy could provide additional information to functional imaging modalities such as CT-P and should therefore be explored further in a trial with larger sample size.

Colorectal cancer: Parametric evaluation of morphological, functional and molecular tomographic imaging

Colorectal cancer (CRC) represents one of the leading causes of tumor-related deaths worldwide. Among the various tools at physicians’ disposal for the diagnostic management of the disease, tomographic imaging (e.g., CT, MRI, and hybrid PET imaging) is considered essential. The qualitative and subjective evaluation of tomographic images is the main approach used to obtain valuable clinical information, although this strategy suffers from both intrinsic and operator-dependent limitations. More recently, advanced imaging techniques have been developed with the aim of overcoming these issues. Such techniques, such as diffusion-weighted MRI and perfusion imaging, were designed for the “in vivo” evaluation of specific biological tissue features in order to describe them in terms of quantitative parameters, which could answer questions difficult to address with conventional imaging alone (e.g., questions related to tissue characterization and prognosis). Furthermore, it has been observed that a large amount of numerical and statistical information is buried inside tomographic images, resulting in their invisibility during conventional assessment. This information can be extracted and represented in terms of quantitative parameters through different processes (e.g., texture analysis). Numerous researchers have focused their work on the significance of these quantitative imaging parameters for the management of CRC patients. In this review, we aimed to focus on evidence reported in the academic literature regarding the application of parametric imaging to the diagnosis, staging and prognosis of CRC while discussing future perspectives and present limitations. While the transition from purely anatomical to quantitative tomographic imaging appears achievable for CRC diagnostics, some essential milestones, such as scanning and analysis standardization and the definition of robust cut-off values, must be achieved before quantitative tomographic imaging can be incorporated into daily clinical practice.

MRI-Based Apparent Diffusion Coefficient for Predicting Pathologic Response of Rectal Cancer After Neoadjuvant Therapy: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to assess the use of apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) during DWI for predicting complete pathologic response of rectal cancer after neoadjuvant therapy.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A systematic review of available literature was conducted to retrieve studies focused on the identification of complete pathologic response of locally advanced rectal cancer after neoadjuvant chemoradiation, through the assessment of ADC evaluated before, after, or both before and after treatment, as well as in terms of the difference between pretreatment and posttreatment ADC. Pooled mean pretreatment ADC, posttreatment ADC, and Δ-ADC (calculated as posttreatment ADC minus pretreatment ADC divided by pretreatment ADC and multiplied by 100) in complete responders versus incomplete responders were calculated. For each parameter, we also pooled sensitivity and specificity and calculated the area under the summary ROC curve.

RESULTS

We found 10 prospective and eight retrospective studies. Overall, pathologic complete response was observed in 22.2% of patients. Pooled mean pretreatment ADC in complete responders was 0.84 × 10^-3 mm²/s versus 0.89 × 10^-3 mm²/s in incomplete responders (p = 0.33). Posttreatment ADC values were 1.51 × 10^-3 mm²/s and 1.29 × 10^-3 mm²/s, in complete and incomplete responders, respectively (p = 0.00001). The Δ-ADC percentages were also significantly higher in complete responders than in incomplete responders (59.7% vs 29.7%, respectively, p = 0.016). Pooled sensitivity, specificity, and AUC were 0.743, 0.755, and 0.841 for pretreatment ADC; 0.800, 0.737, and 0.782 for posttreatment ADC; and 0.832, 0.806, and 0.895 for Δ-ADC.

CONCLUSION

Use of ADC during DWI is a promising technique for assessment of results of neoadjuvant treatment of rectal cancer.

Variability and Reproducibility of 3rd-generation dual-source dynamic volume perfusion CT Parameters in Comparison to MR-perfusion Parameters in Rectal Cancer

To compare in patients with untreated rectal cancer quantitative perfusion parameters calculated from 3^rd-generation dual-source dynamic volume perfusion CT (dVPCT) with 3-Tesla-MR-perfusion with regard to data variability and tumour differentiation. In MR-perfusion, plasma flow (PF), plasma volume (PV) and mean transit time (MTT) were assessed in two measurements (M1 and M2) by the same reader. In dVPCT, blood flow (BF), blood volume (BV), MTT and permeability (PERM) were assessed respectively. CT dose values were calculated. 20 patients (60 ± 13 years) were analysed. Intra-individual and intra-reader variability of duplicate MR-perfusion measurements was higher compared to duplicate dVPCT measurements. dVPCT-derived BF, BV and PERM could differentiate between tumour and normal rectal wall (significance level for M1 and M2, respectively, regarding BF: p < 0.0001*/0.0001*; BV: p < 0.0001*/0.0001*; MTT: p = 0.93/0.39; PERM: p < 0.0001*/0.0001*), with MR-perfusion this was true for PF and PV (p-values M1/M2 for PF: p = 0.04*/0.01*; PV: p = 0.002*/0.003*; MTT: p = 0.70/0.27*). Mean effective dose of CT-staging incl. dVPCT was 29 ± 6 mSv (20 ± 5 mSv for dVPCT alone). In conclusion, dVPCT has a lower data variability than MR-perfusion while both dVPCT and MR-perfusion could differentiate tumour tissue from normal rectal wall. With 3^rd-generation dual-source CT dVPCT could be included in a standard CT-staging without exceeding national dose reference values.

Evaluation of Multislice Spiral Computed Tomography Perfusion Imaging for the Efficacy of Preoperative Concurrent Chemoradiotherapy in Middle-aged and Elderly Patients with Locally Advanced Gastric Cancer

Background

This study aimed to investigate the predictive value of multislice spiral computed tomography (MSCT) perfusion imaging for the efficacy of preoperative concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) in middle-aged and elderly patients with locally advanced gastric cancer (LAGC).

Material/Methods

One-hundred twenty-six middle-aged and elderly patients with LAGC were selected. MSCT was performed before and after CCRT to obtain perfusion parameters: blood flow volume (BF), blood volume (BV), mean transit time (MTT), and permeability surface (PS). After CCRT, according to Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST), patients were categorized into the effective group and the ineffective group. Overall survival rate was measured by Kaplan-Meier analysis. ROC curve was applied to evaluate the predictive value of perfusion parameters. Multiple logistic regression analysis was applied to analyze the association of perfusion parameters with the efficacy of preoperative treatment.

Results

Tumor volume reduction rates of the effective and ineffective groups were 59.23±8.53% and 10.41±3.36%. BF, BV, and PS values in the effective group were significantly decreased after CCRT. ROC curves indicated high sensitivities and specificities of BF value (79.00%, 73.44%), BV value (71.00%, 75.00%), and PS value (82.30%, 90.63%). The incidence rate of weakness and anorexia in the effective group was much higher than that in the ineffective group. Patients with low BF, BV, and PS values (less their optimal cutoff values) had longer survival times than these with high BF, BV, and PS values.

Conclusions

MSCT might have predictive values for the efficacy of preoperative CCRT in the treatment of LAGC.

Perfusion CT measurements predict tumor response in rectal carcinoma

PURPOSE

To evaluate the capacity of perfusion CT imaging to distinguish between complete and incomplete responders after neoadjuvant chemoradiation therapy for rectal carcinoma, with particular attention to segmentation technique.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

17 patients were evaluated in this prospective IRB-approved study. For each patient, a perfusion CT acquisition was obtained prior to the initiation of chemoradiation, at 1-2 weeks after the start of chemoradiation, and at 12 weeks after the start of chemoradiation therapy. From each dataset, three perfusion parameters were measured, each in two different ways: a region of interest incorporating only "hot spots" of greatest enhancement and whole-tumor measurements.

RESULTS

In univariate analysis, blood volume and permeability differed significantly between responders and non-responders. In logistic regression analysis evaluating predictors of the "complete response" outcome, only two predictors were retained as statistically significant: peak hot spot blood volume 1-2 weeks into therapy (OR 10.25, p = 0.0026) and hot spot permeability decline at 12 weeks after the initiation of therapy (OR 5.62, p = 0.03). The overall likelihood ratio test for this model supported the conclusion that hot spot blood volume and hot spot permeability decline were significant predictors of the complete pathologic response outcome (p < 0.0001).

CONCLUSION

In this pilot study, peak tumor blood volume and decline in tumor permeability, when measured in "hot spots" of greatest enhancement, were strong predictors of complete therapeutic response in rectal cancer after neoadjuvant therapy.

Clinical Trial of Oral Nelfinavir before and during Radiation Therapy for Advanced Rectal Cancer

PURPOSE

Nelfinavir, a PI3K pathway inhibitor, is a radiosensitizer that increases tumor blood flow in preclinical models. We conducted an early-phase study to demonstrate the safety of nelfinavir combined with hypofractionated radiotherapy (RT) and to develop biomarkers of tumor perfusion and radiosensitization for this combinatorial approach.

EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN

Ten patients with T3-4 N0-2 M1 rectal cancer received 7 days of oral nelfinavir (1,250 mg b.i.d.) and a further 7 days of nelfinavir during pelvic RT (25 Gy/5 fractions/7 days). Perfusion CT (p-CT) and DCE-MRI scans were performed pretreatment, after 7 days of nelfinavir and prior to the last fraction of RT. Biopsies taken pretreatment and 7 days after the last fraction of RT were analyzed for tumor cell density (TCD).

RESULTS

There were 3 drug-related grade 3 adverse events: diarrhea, rash, and lymphopenia. On DCE-MRI, there was a mean 42% increase in medianKtrans, and a corresponding median 30% increase in mean blood flow on p-CT during RT in combination with nelfinavir. Median TCD decreased from 24.3% at baseline to 9.2% in biopsies taken 7 days after RT (P= 0.01). Overall, 5 of 9 evaluable patients exhibited good tumor regression on MRI assessed by tumor regression grade (mrTRG).

CONCLUSIONS

This is the first study to evaluate nelfinavir in combination with RT without concurrent chemotherapy. It has shown that nelfinavir-RT is well tolerated and is associated with increased blood flow to rectal tumors. The efficacy of nelfinavir-RT versus RT alone merits clinical evaluation, including measurement of tumor blood flow.

Interobserver and Intraobserver Reproducibility with Volume Dynamic Contrast Enhanced Computed Tomography (DCE-CT) in Gastroesophageal Junction Cancer

The purpose of this study was to assess inter- and intra-observer reproducibility of three different analytic methods to evaluate quantitative dynamic contrast-enhanced computed tomography (DCE-CT) measures from gastroesophageal junctional cancer. Twenty-five DCE-CT studies with gastroesophageal junction cancer were selected from a previous longitudinal study. Three radiologists independently reviewed all scans, and one repeated the analysis eight months later for intraobserver analysis. Review of the scans consisted of three analysis methods: (I) Four, fixed small sized regions of interest (2-dimensional (2D) fixed ROIs) placed in the tumor periphery, (II) 2-dimensional regions of interest (2D-ROI) along the tumor border in the tumor center, and (III) 3-dimensional volumes of interest (3D-VOI) containing the entire tumor volume. Arterial flow, blood volume and permeability (k^trans) were recorded for each observation. Inter- and intra-observer variability were assessed by Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC) and Bland-Altman statistics. Interobserver ICC was excellent for arterial flow (0.88), for blood volume (0.89) and for permeability (0.91) with 3D-VOI analysis. The 95% limits of agreement were narrower for 3D analysis compared to 2D analysis. Three-dimensional volume DCE-CT analysis of gastroesophageal junction cancer provides higher inter- and intra-observer reproducibility with narrower limits of agreement between readers compared to 2D analysis.

Perfusion CT imaging of treatment response in oncology

Perfusion CT was first described in the 1970s but has become accepted as a clinical technique in recent years. In oncological practice Perfusion CT allows the downstream effects of therapies on the tumour vasculature to be monitored. From the dynamic changes in tumour and vascular enhancement following intravenous iodinated contrast agent administration, qualitative and quantitative parameters may be derived that reflect tumour perfusion, blood volume, and microcirculatory changes with treatment. This review outlines the mechanisms of action of available therapies and state-of-the-art imaging practice.

Arterial spin labeling to determine tumor viability in head and neck cancer before and after treatment

PURPOSE

To evaluate the feasibility of arterial spin-labeling (ASL) in head and neck cancer for noninvasive measurement of tumor blood flow (TBF), by comparing 1) the TBF change before and after the treatment, and 2) posttreatment TBF and its reduction rate between residual and nonresidual tumors after treatment.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Twenty-two patients with head and neck cancer were evaluated using ASL on 3.0-T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) before and after nonsurgical treatment. A pulsed ASL sequence with Look–Locker readout was used to calculate quantitative TBF. TBF reduction rates between pre- and posttreatment values were also calculated. Residual tumors were confirmed when present with either histopathologically or clinical follow-up.

RESULTS

Pre- and posttreatment mean TBF values were 121.4 ± 27.8 (standard deviation) and 24.9 ± 14.9 mL/100g/min, respectively. Pre- and posttreatment TBF differed significantly. Posttreatment TBF was significantly higher in patients with residual tumors (five patients, 46.9 ± 7.1 mL/100g/min) than in those without (17 patients, 18.4 ± 9.2 mL/100g/min). The TBF reduction rate was significantly lower in patients with residual tumors (0.540.55 ± 0.120.12) than in those without (0.85 ± 0.06).

CONCLUSION

ASL allows quantitative assessment of TBF in head and neck cancer. ASL may be useful for noninvasive assessment of tumor viability in head and neck cancer.

Computed tomography perfusion imaging as a potential imaging biomarker of colorectal cancer

Neovascularization was reported to arise early in the adenoma-carcinoma sequence in colorectal cancer (CRC), and the importance of angiogenesis in cancer progression has been established. Computed tomography (CT) perfusion (CTP) based on high temporal resolution CT images enables evaluation of hemodynamics of tissue in vivo by modeling tracer kinetics. CTP has been reported to characterize tumor angiogenesis, and to be a sensitive marker for predicting recurrence or survival in CRC. In this review, we will discuss the biomarker value of CTP in the management of CRC patients.

Integrated ¹⁸F-FDG PET/perfusion CT for the monitoring of neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy in rectal carcinoma: correlation with histopathology

PURPOSE

The aim of this study was to prospectively monitor changes in the flow-metabolic phenotype (ΔFMP) of rectal carcinoma (RC) after neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (CRT) and to evaluate whether ΔFMP of RC correlate with histopathological prognostic factors including response to CRT.

METHODS

Sixteen patients with RC (12 men, mean age 60.7 ± 12.8 years) underwent integrated (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET)/perfusion CT (PET/PCT), followed by neoadjuvant CRT and surgery. In 13 patients, PET/PCT was repeated after CRT. Perfusion [blood flow (BF), blood volume (BV), mean transit time (MTT)] and metabolic [maximum and mean standardized uptake values (SUVmax, SUVmean)] parameters as well as the FMP (BF × SUVmax) were determined before and after CRT by two independent readers and correlated to histopathological prognostic factors of RC (microvessel density, necrosis index, regression index, vascular invasion) derived from resected specimens. The diagnostic performance of ΔFMP for prediction of treatment response was determined.

RESULTS

FMP significantly decreased after CRT (p < 0.001), exploiting higher changes after CRT as compared to changes of perfusion and metabolic parameters alone. Before CRT, no significant correlations were found between integrated PET/PCT and any of the histopathological parameters (all p > 0.05). After CRT, BV and SUVmax correlated positively with the necrosis index (r = 0.67/0.70), SUVmax with the invasion of blood vessels (r = 0.62) and ΔFMP with the regression index (r = 0.88; all p < 0.05). ΔFMP showed high accuracy for prediction of histopathological response to CRT (AUC 0.955, 95 % confidence interval 0.833-1.000, p < 0.01) using a cut-off value of -75%.

CONCLUSION

In RC, ΔFMP derived from integrated (18)F-FDG PET/PCT is useful for monitoring the effects of neoadjuvant CRT and allows prediction of histopathological response to CRT.

Perfusion CT imaging of colorectal cancer

Imaging plays an important role in the assessment of colorectal cancer, including diagnosis, staging, selection of treatment, assessment of treatment response, surveillance and investigation of suspected disease relapse. Anatomical imaging remains the mainstay for size measurement and structural evaluation; however, functional imaging techniques may provide additional insights into the tumour microenvironment. With dynamic contrast-enhanced CT techniques, iodinated contrast agent kinetics may inform on regional tumour perfusion, shunting and microvascular function and provide a surrogate measure of tumour hypoxia and angiogenesis. In colorectal cancer, this may be relevant for clinical practice in terms of tumour phenotyping, prognostication, selection of individualized treatment and therapy response assessment.

Innovation in cancer imaging

Cancer is rapidly becoming the worldwide leading cause of premature death. Iconographic techniques have traditionally provided information on tumor anatomy. The recent introduction of functional and molecular imaging techniques allows probing tumor physiology and biology in addition to mere anatomical description. In addition to the research implications, these novel imaging techniques offer early response assessment and target visualization which, in the era of personalized medicine, may offer significant advances in cancer therapy. Here, we provide an overview of the most important developments in cancer imaging, with a focus on the clinical applications.