Correlations between the Maximum Standard Uptake Value of Positron Emission Tomography/Computed Tomography and Laboratory Parameters before and after Treatment in Patients with Lymphoma

Can positron emission tomography–computed tomography-based three target lesions' total lesion glycolysis predict therapeutic response in Hodgkin Lymphoma?

Background

Universally maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) are used as tools for response assessment in Hodgkin Lymphoma (HL) patients. Our objectives are to evaluate the predictive potential and response assessment of total lesion glycolysis (TLG) and metabolic tumor volume (MTV)—maximum three target lesions—as another alternatives and to investigate the correlation between TLG and MTV with LDH.

Results

Both initial SUVmax and TLG were significantly associated with early patient response (p value 0.03, 0.047, respectively). An optimal threshold for SUVmax and TLG less than or equal 19.52, and 158.6, respectively, correlated with better therapeutic response. Initial LDH was moderately correlated with initial values of TLG (rs = 0.4, p value 0.01), MTV (rs = 0.44, p value 0.01) and SUVmax (rs = 0.42, p value 0.01).

Conclusion

TLG in correlation with LDH can be significant prognostic factors of therapeutic response in HL. They can be used for the identification of a subset of HL patients with a better outcome.

Classical Hodgkin Lymphoma: A Joint Clinical and PET Model to Predict Poor Responders at Interim Assessment

(1) This study aimed to investigate whether baseline clinical and Positron Emission Tomography/Computed Tomography (bPET)-derived parameters could help predicting early response to the first two cycles of chemotherapy (Deauville Score at interim PET, DS at iPET) in patients with classical Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL) to identify poor responders (DS ≥ 4) who could benefit from first-line treatment intensification at an earlier time point. (2) cHL patients with a bPET and an iPET imaging study in our Centre’s records (2013−2019), no synchronous/metachronous tumors, no major surgical resection of disease prior to bPET, and treated with two cycles of ABVD chemotherapy before iPET were retrospectively included. Baseline International Prognostic Score for HL (IPS) parameters were collected. Each patient’s bPET total metabolic tumor volume (TMTV) and highest tumoral SUVmax were collected. ROC curves and Youden’s index were used to derive the optimal thresholds of TMTV and SUVmax with regard to the DS (≥4). Chi-square or Fisher’s exact test were used for the univariate analysis. A multivariate analysis was then performed using logistic regression. The type I error rate in the hypothesis testing was set to 5%. (3) A total of 146 patients were included. The optimal threshold to predict a DS ≥ 4 was >177 mL for TMTV and >14.7 for SUVmax (AUC of 0.65 and 0.58, respectively). The univariate analysis showed that only TMTV, SUVmax, advanced disease stage, and age were significantly associated with a DS ≥ 4. A multivariate model was finally derived from TMTV, SUVmax, and age, with an AUC of 0.77. (4) A multivariate model with bPET parameters and age at diagnosis was satisfactorily predictive of poor response at iPET after ABVD induction chemotherapy in cHL patients. More studies are needed to validate these results and further implement DS-predictive factors at baseline in order to prevent poor response and intensify therapeutic strategies a-priori when needed.

Lymphoma Severity and Type Are Associated With Aortic FDG Uptake by 18F-FDG PET/CT Imaging

Background

There is evidence that metabolic disease burden in lymphoma influences patient outcome. However, the impact of disease severity on the cardiovascular system is unknown.

Objectives

The aim of this study was to examine whether lymphoma is associated with arterial inflammation by investigating the relationship between disease metabolic burden and arterial fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) uptake.

Methods

Sixty-two chemotherapy-naïve patients with active Hodgkin’s or non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma were matched (2:1) to individual control groups of lymphoma patients previously treated and free of active disease. All groups underwent ¹⁸F-FDG position emission tomography–computed tomography imaging. Disease severity was quantified by metabolic tumor volume (MTV) and total lesion glycolysis corresponding to standardized uptake values (SUVs) ≥41% or ≥2.5 of the maximum SUV within lymphoma regions, and aortic FDG uptake was quantified through the target-to-background ratio (TBR). Inflammatory and disease severity biomarkers were also measured.

Results

MTV and total lesion glycolysis measurements were significantly correlated with inflammatory and disease biomarkers. Aortic TBR was higher in patients with active non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma compared with control subjects (median difference 0.51; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.28 to 0.78; p < 0.001). Similarly, patients with active Hodgkin’s lymphoma had higher values of aortic TBR compared with control subjects (median difference 0.31; 95% CI: 0.15 to 0.49; p < 0.001). In addition, aortic TBR was modestly increased in patients with stage III to IV disease compared with those with stage I to II disease (median aortic TBR: 2.23 [interquartile range: 2.01 to 2.54] vs. 2.06 [interquartile range: 1.83 to 2.27; p = 0.050). In multivariable analysis, aortic FDG uptake and MTV_≥2.5 values were independently associated (β = 0.425; 95% CI: 0.189 to 0.662; p = 0.001; R² = 0.208), as were aortic FDG uptake and MTV_≥41% (β = 0.407; 95% CI: 0.167 to 0.649, p = 0.001; R² = 0.191).

Conclusions

Aortic wall FDG uptake is related with disease severity indicative of a possible vascular effect of lymphoma. This work highlights a new potential role of molecular imaging in cardio-oncology for evaluating disease severity and its consequences on the vasculature.

Usefulness of Hybrid PET/MRI in Clinical Evaluation of Head and Neck Cancer Patients

(1) Background: The novel hybrid of positron emission tomography/magnetic resonance (PET/MR) examination has been introduced to clinical practice. The aim of our study was to evaluate PET/MR usefulness in preoperative staging of head and neck cancer (HNC) patients (pts); (2) Methods: Thirty eight pts underwent both computed tomography (CT) and PET/MR examination, of whom 21 pts underwent surgical treatment as first-line therapy and were further included in the present study. Postsurgical tissue material was subjected to routine histopathological (HP) examination with additional evaluation of p16, human papillomavirus (HPV), Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and Ki67 status. Agreement of clinical and pathological T staging, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV) of CT and PET/MR in metastatic lymph nodes detection were defined. The verification of dependences between standardized uptake value (SUV value), tumor geometrical parameters, number of metastatic lymph nodes in PET/MR and CT, biochemical parameters, Ki67 index, p16, HPV and EBV status was made with statistical analysis of obtained results; (3) Results: PET/MR is characterized by better agreement in T staging, higher specificity, sensitivity, PPV and NPV of lymph nodes evaluation than CT imaging. Significant correlations were observed between SUVmax and maximal tumor diameter from PET/MR, between SUVmean and CT tumor volume, PET/MR tumor volume, maximal tumor diameter assessed in PET/MR. Other correlations were weak and insignificant; (4) Conclusions: Hybrid PET/MR imaging is useful in preoperative staging of HNC. Further studies are needed.

Prognostic significance of locally invaded sites and tissue types in patients with nasal extranodal natural-killer/T-cell lymphoma: a single-center retrospective analysis

Background:

Extranodal natural killer/T-cell lymphoma (ENKTL), nasal type, is an aggressive entity within the World Health Organization classification of lymphoid tumors. The International Prognostic Index is reported to be prognostically meaningful for ENKTL, but lacks discriminatory power for stage I/II ENKTL with extensive local invasion. This study aimed to evaluate the prognostic effects of local invasion by site and tissue type in patients with ENKTL.

Methods:

We retrospectively analyzed data of 86 patients who were diagnosed with ENKTL by the Department of Pathology of Beijing Tongren Hospital from June 2002 to April 2016, and ascertained tumor infiltration of adjacent structures (AS), bone, and soft tissue for each patient, using physical findings and imaging scans. We used univariate and multivariate analysis to assess the association of each involved tissue or site with patients’ overall survival (OS).

Results:

Of the 86 patients, 71 (82.6%) experienced invasion of AS, 22 (25.6%) of soft tissue, and 26 (30.2%) had bone involvement. Overall, patients with AS involvement did not show significantly shorter survival than those without AS involvement (Log rank χ² = 1.177, P = 0.278); however, patients who had involved eyeballs or brains showed significantly lower 2-year OS rates than those without eyeball involvement (Log rank χ² = 4.105, P = 0.043) or brain involvement (Log rank χ² = 7.126, P = 0.008). Patients with involved local soft tissue or bones, respectively, showed lower 2-year OS rates than those without involved local soft tissue (Log rank χ² = 10.390, P = 0.001) or bones (Log rank χ² = 8.993, P = 0.003). Multivariate analysis showed that involvement of the cheek or facial muscles (hazard ratio, HR = 5.471, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.466–20.416, P = 0.011) and the maxilla bone (HR = 6.120, 95% CI: 1.517–24.694, P = 0.011) were significantly independent predictors of lower 2-year OS rates.

Conclusions:

Imaging can accurately detect ENKTL invasion of AS, soft tissue, and bone. Involvement of local soft tissue or bone was significantly associated with lower 2-year OS rates. Involvements of the cheek or facial muscle, as well as maxilla bone, are independent predictors of lower 2-year OS rates in ENKTL patients.