Associations Between Histogram Analysis DCE MRI Parameters and Complex 18 F-FDG-PET Values in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

AIM: To analyze associations between parameters of positron-emission tomography (PET) and histogram analysis values of dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE) imaging in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC).

PATIENTS AND METHODS: Overall, 28 patients with primary HNSCC of different localizations were involved. 18 F-FDG-PET/CT and DCE MR imaging were performed for all patients. Histogram analysis parameters of DCE MRI were calculated. Spearman's correlation coefficient was used to analyze the associations between investigated parameters.

RESULTS: In the overall cohort, SUVmax correlated with Kep P10 (ρ=0.43, p=0.027), Kep P25 (0.40, p=0.035), and had a tendency to correlate with median Kep (ρ=0.33, p=0.098). TLG tended to correlate with Kep P25 (0.33, p=0.09) and P10 Ktrans (ρ=0.35, p=0.07). In G1/2 tumors, SUVmax correlated with Kep P10 (ρ=0.645, p=0.032), and tended to correlate with Ktrans mean (ρ=0.54, p=0.089), Ktrans min (ρ=0.58, p=0.06), Ktrans P10 (ρ=0.56, p=0.07), Ktrans P25 (ρ=0.59, p=0.056), and Ktrans median (ρ=0.054, p=0.089), as well with Kep min (ρ=0.56, p=0.07). SUVmean tended to correlate with Kep kurtosis (ρ=0.56, p=0.07). In G3 tumors, no tendencies or statistically significant correlations between the PET and DCE MRI parameters were identified.

CONCLUSION: Tumor metabolism and perfusion show complex associations in HNSCC. These associations depend on tumor grading.