ADC-histogram analysis in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Associations with different histopathological features including expression of EGFR, VEGF, HIF-1α, Her 2 and p53. A preliminary study.

OBJECTIVE: Apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values derived from Diffusion-weighted images are able to reflect tumor microstructure, such as cellularity, extracellular matrix or proliferation potential. This present study sought to correlate prognostic relevant histopathologic parameters with ADC values derived from a whole lesion measurement in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC).

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty-four patients with histological proven primary HNSCC were prospectively acquired. Histogram analysis was derived from ADC maps. In all cases, expression of Hif1-alpha, VEGF, EGFR, p53, p16, Her 2 were analyzed.

RESULTS: In the overall patient sample, ADCmax correlated with p53 expression (p = -0.446, p = 0.009) and ADCmode correlated with Her2-expression (p = -0.354, p = 0.047). In the p16 positive group there were several correlations. P25, P90 and entropy correlated with Hif1-alpha (p = -0.423, p = 0.05, p = -0.494, p = 0.019, p = 0.479, p = 0.024, respectively). Kurtosis correlated with P53 expression (p = -0.466, p = 0.029). For p16 negative carcinomas the following associations could be identified. Mode correlated with VEGF-expression (p = -0.657, p = 0.039). ADCmax, P75, P90, and Std correlated with p53-expression (p = -0.827, p = 0.002, p = -0.736, p = 0.01, p = -0.836, p = 0.001 and p = -0.70, p = 0.016, respectively). There were no statistically significant differences of ADC histogram parameters between p16 positive and p16 negative carcinomas.

CONCLUSION: ADC histogram values can reflect different histopathological features in HNSCC. Associations between ADC histogram analysis parameters and histopathology depend on p16 status.