Journal

Cancer Imaging

Papers (31)

CT-based radiomics model to predict platinum sensitivity in epithelial ovarian carcinoma: a multicentre study

Abstract Objective Platinum resistance carries poor prognosis in epithelial ovarian carcinoma (EOC). This study aimed to assess the value of radiomics model based on contrast-enhanced CT (ceCT) in predicting response to platinum-based chemotherapy in EOC. Materials and methods Patients with histologically confirmed EOC and pre-treatment ceCT were retrospectively recruited from 5 centres. All patients underwent standard platinum-based chemotherapy and optimal cytoreduction. Platinum sensitivity was determined by whether it recurred within six months after platinum-based chemotherapy. The whole tumour volume was manually segmented on the baseline ceCT. Radiomics features were extracted using the open-source package PyRadiomics (version 3.0.1). Patients from centres A-C were randomly divided into training and internal validation sets in 4:1 ratio. Patients from the centres D and E were assigned as independent external validation sets. Spearman’s rank correlation followed by 5-fold stratified cross validation (SCV) elastic net repeated for 100 times, and Mann-Whitney U test were deployed for feature reduction and selection. Adaptive synthetic sampling was applied to minimize class biases. Extra Trees classifier across 10-fold SCV was used for model building. The area under curve (AUC), calibration curve assessment, and decision curve analysis (DCA) were deployed to evaluate model performance and translational clinical utility. Results Seven hundred and three EOC patients (51.6 ± 9.3 years) were recruited. The training data (n = 608) yielded the following classification metrics: AUC (0.917), sensitivity (83.9%), specificity (94.4%), and accuracy (91.7%) in the internal validation set. The external validation set using centre D (n = 44) had AUC (0.877), sensitivity (76.5%), specificity (92.6%), and accuracy (86.4%); while centre E (n = 51) had AUC (0.845), sensitivity (73.3%), specificity (86.1%), and accuracy (82.4%) in predicting platinum sensitivity. DCA illustrated net clinical benefit in internal validation set and both external validation sets. Conclusions The proposed CT-based radiomics model could be useful in predicting platinum sensitivity in EOC with potential in guiding personalized treatment in EOC.

Patient eligibility for trials with imaging response assessment at the time of molecular tumor board presentation

Abstract Purpose To assess the eligibility of patients with advanced or recurrent solid malignancies presented to a molecular tumor board (MTB) at a large precision oncology center for inclusion in trials with the endpoints objective response rate (ORR) or duration of response (DOR) based on Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST version 1.1). Methods Prospective patients with available imaging at the time of presentation in the MTB were included. Imaging data was reviewed for objectifiable measurable disease (MD) according to RECIST v1.1. Additionally, we evaluated the patients with MD for representativeness of the identified measurable lesion(s) in relation to the overall tumor burden. Results 262 patients with different solid malignancies were included. 177 patients (68%) had MD and 85 (32%) had non-measurable disease (NMD) at the time point of MTB presentation in accordance with RECIST v1.1. MD was not representative of the overall tumor burden in eleven patients (6%). The main reasons for NMD were lesions with longest diameter shorter than 10 mm (22%) and non-measurable peritoneal carcinomatosis (18%). Colorectal cancer and malignant melanoma displayed the highest rates of MD (> 75%). In contrast, gastric cancer, head and neck malignancies, and ovarian carcinoma had the lowest rates of MD (< 55%). In case of MD, the measurable lesions were representative of the overall tumor burden in the vast majority of cases (94%). Conclusion Approximately one third of cancer patients with advanced solid malignancies are not eligible for treatment response assessment in trials with endpoints ORR or DOR at the time of MTB presentation. The rate of patients eligible for trials with imaging endpoints differs significantly based on the underlying malignancy and should be taken under consideration during the planning of new precision oncology trials.

A comparison of 2D and 3D magnetic resonance imaging-based intratumoral and peritumoral radiomics models for the prognostic prediction of endometrial cancer: a pilot study

Abstract Background Accurate prognostic assessment is vital for the personalized treatment of endometrial cancer (EC). Although radiomics models have demonstrated prognostic potential in EC, the impact of region of interest (ROI) delineation strategies and the clinical significance of peritumoral features remain uncertain. Our study thereby aimed to explore the predictive performance of varying radiomics models for the prediction of LVSI, DMI, and disease stage in EC. Methods Patients with 174 histopathology-confirmed EC were retrospectively reviewed. ROIs were manually delineated using the 2D and 3D approach on T2-weighted MRI images. Six radiomics models involving intratumoral (2Dintra and 3Dintra), peritumoral (2Dperi and 3Dperi), and combined models (2Dintra + peri and 3Dintra + peri) were developed. Models were constructed using the logistic regression method with five-fold cross-validation. Area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) was assessed, and was compared using the Delong’s test. Results No significant differences in AUC were observed between the 2Dintra and 3Dintra models, or the 2Dperi and 3Dperi models in all prediction tasks (P > 0.05). Significant difference was observed between the 3Dintra and 3Dperi models for LVSI (0.738 vs. 0.805) and DMI prediction (0.719 vs. 0.804). The 3Dintra + peri models demonstrated significantly better predictive performance in all 3 prediction tasks compared to the 3Dintra model in both the training and validation cohorts (P < 0.05). Conclusions Comparable predictive performance was observed between the 2D and 3D models. Combined models significantly improved predictive performance, especially with 3D delineation, suggesting that intra- and peritumoral features can provide complementary information for comprehensive prognostication of EC.

Diagnostic value of 18F-FDG PET/MRI for staging in patients with endometrial cancer

Abstract Background Preoperative accurate assessment of endometrial cancer can assist in the planning of additional surgical options, and in predicting the prognosis. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the diagnostic potential of non-contrast PET/MRI with 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) for assessment in preoperative staging of endometrial cancer. Methods Thirty-six patients with biopsy-proven endometrial cancer underwent preoperative 18F-FDG PET/MRI, contrast-enhanced CT (ceCT) and pelvic dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI (ceMRI) for initial staging. The diagnostic performance of 18F-FDG PET/MRI and ceMRI for assessing the extent of the primary tumor (T stage), and 18F-FDG PET/MRI and ceCT for assessing nodal (N stage) and distant (M stage) metastasis, was evaluated by two experienced readers. Histopathological and follow-up imaging results were used as the gold standard. The McNemar test was employed for statistical analysis. Results Accuracy for T status was 77.8 and 75.0% for 18F-FDG PET/MRI and ceMRI, respectively. Patient-based accuracy for detecting regional nodal and distant metastasis was 91.3 and 81.8% for 18F-FDG PET/MRI, and 87.0 and 81.8% for ceCT. None of these parameters was statistically significant (p > 0.05). Lesion-based sensitivity, specificity and accuracy for detecting regional nodal metastasis were 100, 96.9 and 97.0% for 18F-FDG PET/MRI, and 14.3, 97.6 and 93.3% for ceCT; sensitivity was statistically significant (p < 0.05). Conclusions Non-contrast 18F-FDG PET/MRI, which combines the individual advantages of PET and MRI, offers a high diagnostic value equivalent to that of ceMRI for assessment of the primary tumor, and equivalent to that of ceCT for the assessment of nodal and distant metastatic staging, in patients with endometrial cancer. These findings suggest that 18F-FDG PET/MRI might provide an alternative diagnostic strategy to conventional imaging modalities in the preoperative staging of endometrial cancer.

Validation of 18F-FDG PET/MRI and diffusion-weighted MRI for estimating the extent of peritoneal carcinomatosis in ovarian and endometrial cancer -a pilot study

Abstract Background The extent of peritoneal carcinomatosis is difficult to estimate preoperatively, but a valid measure would be important in identifying operable patients. The present study set out to validate the usefulness of integrated 18F-FDG PET/MRI, in comparison with diffusion-weighted MRI (DW-MRI), for estimation of the extent of peritoneal carcinomatosis in patients with gynaecological cancer. Methods Whole-body PET/MRI was performed on 34 patients with presumed carcinomatosis of gynaecological origin, all scheduled for surgery. Two radiologists evaluated the peritoneal cancer index (PCI) on PET/MRI and DW-MRI scans in consensus. The surgeon estimated PCI intraoperatively, which was used as the gold standard. Results Median total PCI for PET/MRI (21.5) was closer to surgical PCI (24.5) (p = 0.6), than DW-MRI (median PCI 20.0, p = 0.007). However, both methods were highly correlated with the surgical PCI (PET/MRI: β = 0.94 p < 0.01, DW-MRI: β = 0.86, p < 0.01). PET/MRI was more accurate (p = 0.3) than DW-MRI (p = 0.001) when evaluating patients at primary diagnosis but no difference was noted in patients treated with chemotherapy. PET/MRI was superior in evaluating high tumour burden in inoperable patients. In the small bowel regions, there was a tendency of higher sensitivity but lower specificity in PET/MRI compared to DW-MRI. Conclusions Our results suggest that FDG PET/MRI is superior to DW-MRI in estimating total spread of carcinomatosis in gynaecological cancer. Further, the greatest advantage of PET/MRI seems to be in patients at primary diagnosis and with high tumour burden, which suggest that it could be a useful tool when deciding about operability in gynaecological cancer.

High resolution diffusion-weighted imaging with readout segmentation of long variable echo-trains for determining myometrial invasion in endometrial carcinoma

Abstract Background We assessed the image quality of endometrial cancer lesions by readout segmentation of long variable echo-trains (RESOLVE) diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) compared with that by single-shot echo-planar imaging (SS-EPI) DWI, aimed to explore the value of RESOLVE DWI for determining myometrial invasion and clinical stage in endometrial cancer. Materials and methods From April 2017 to March 2018, a total of 30 endometrial cancer patients (mean age 52.8 ± 9.0 years), who had undergone RESOLVE DWI and SS-EPI DWI, were included in the study. The image quality of endometrial carcinoma by two kinds of DWI scanning methods was compared qualitatively and quantitatively. The Spearman rank correlation test was used to assess the correlation of qualitative image quality scores between two readers. The accuracy of two DWI methods in detecting myometrial invasion and staging of endometrial carcinoma was calculated according to postoperative pathological results. The indexes were analyzed including sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV). Results The qualitative score of RESOLVE DWI group was superior to SS-EPI DWI group in every aspect of five aspects (all P < 0.001). Interobserver agreement of depiction was good or excellent in two DWI sequences. Signal to noise ratio and contrast to noise ratio values in RESOLVE DWI group were both higher than those in SS-EPI DWI group (P<0.001). No statistical difference of apparent diffusion coefficient value was observed between two DWI groups (P = 0.261). The specificity, accuracy, PPV, and NPV of estimating myometrial invasion by RESOLVE DWI in three cases (intramucosal lesion, <50% superficial invasion and ≥ 50% deep invasion) were all higher than those by SS-EPI DWI for endometrial carcinoma. Especially RESOLVE DWI was valuable in judging <50% superficial invasion (95%CI:0.586, 0.970). No significant difference in accuracy staging was between the two DWI groups (P = 0.125). Conclusion RESOLVE DWI can provide higher quality images of endometrial carcinoma than SS-EPI DWI. The high-quality images are helpful for precise assessment of myometrial invasion in endometrial cancer.

Tumor ADC value predicts outcome and yields refined prognostication in uterine cervical cancer

Abstract Pelvic MRI is essential for evaluating local and regional tumor extent in uterine cervical cancer (CC). Tumor microstructure captured by diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) markers may be closely linked to prognosis in CC. Purpose To explore whether primary tumor ADC markers predict survival in CC. Material and methods CC patients ( n  = 179) diagnosed during 2009–2020 with MRI-assessed primary maximum tumor size  ≥ 2 cm were included in this retrospective single-center study. Two radiologists read all MRIs independently, measuring mean tumor ADC values in manually drawn regions of interest (ROIs) and mean tumor ADC (tumor ADCmean ) from five measurements for the two readers was used. ADC from ROIs in the myometrium (myometrium ADC ), cervical stroma (cervix ADC ), and bladder (bladder ADC ) were used to calculate ADC ratios. ADC markers were explored in relation to the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) (2018) stage, disease-specific survival (DSS), and recurrence/progression-free survival (RPFS). Results Inter-reader agreement for all ADC measurements was high (ICC:0.59–0.79). Low tumor ADCmean predicted advanced FIGO stage ( P  = 0.04) and reduced DSS (hazard ratio (HR): 0.96, P  < 0.001; AIC: 441). Myometrium ADC /tumor ADCmean yielded the best Cox regression fit (AIC = 430) among all tumor ADC markers. Patients with high myometrium ADC /tumor ADCmean had significantly reduced 5-year DSS for FIGO stage I, II, and III ( P  = 0.01, 0.004, and 0.02, respectively) and tended to the same for FIGO IV ( P  = 0.22). Conclusion Low tumor ADCmean predicted reduced DSS in CC. High myometrium ADC /tumor ADCmean was the strongest ADC predictor of poor DSS and a marker of high-risk phenotype independent of FIGO stage.

Integrating MRI-based radiomics and clinicopathological features for preoperative prognostication of early-stage cervical adenocarcinoma patients: in comparison to deep learning approach

Abstract Objectives The roles of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) -based radiomics approach and deep learning approach in cervical adenocarcinoma (AC) have not been explored. Herein, we aim to develop prognosis-predictive models based on MRI-radiomics and clinical features for AC patients. Methods Clinical and pathological information from one hundred and ninety-seven patients with cervical AC was collected and analyzed. For each patient, 107 radiomics features were extracted from T2-weighted MRI images. Feature selection was performed using Spearman correlation and random forest (RF) algorithms, and predictive models were built using support vector machine (SVM) technique. Deep learning models were also trained with T2-weighted MRI images and clinicopathological features through Convolutional Neural Network (CNN). Kaplan-Meier curve was analyzed using significant features. In addition, information from another group of 56 AC patients was used for the independent validation. Results A total of 107 radiomics features and 6 clinicopathological features (age, FIGO stage, differentiation, invasion depth, lymphovascular space invasion (LVSI), and lymph node metastasis (LNM) were included in the analysis. When predicting the 3-year, 4-year, and 5-year DFS, the model trained solely on radiomics features achieved AUC values of 0.659 (95%CI: 0.620–0.716), 0.791 (95%CI: 0.603–0.922), and 0.853 (95%CI: 0.745–0.912), respectively. However, the combined model, incorporating both radiomics and clinicopathological features, outperformed the radiomics model with AUC values of 0.934 (95%CI: 0.885–0.981), 0.937 (95%CI: 0.867–0.995), and 0.916 (95%CI: 0.857–0.970), respectively. For deep learning models, the MRI-based models achieved an AUC of 0.857, 0.777 and 0.828 for 3-year DFS, 4-year DFS and 5-year DFS prediction, respectively. And the combined deep learning models got a improved performance, the AUCs were 0.903. 0.862 and 0.969. In the independent test set, the combined model achieved an AUC of 0.873, 0.858 and 0.914 for 3-year DFS, 4-year DFS and 5-year DFS prediction, respectively. Conclusions We demonstrated the prognostic value of integrating MRI-based radiomics and clinicopathological features in cervical adenocarcinoma. Both radiomics and deep learning models showed improved predictive performance when combined with clinical data, emphasizing the importance of a multimodal approach in patient management.

Assessing synchronous ovarian metastasis in gastric cancer patients using a clinical-radiomics nomogram based on baseline abdominal contrast-enhanced CT: a two-center study

Abstract Background To build and validate a radiomics nomogram based on preoperative CT scans and clinical data for detecting synchronous ovarian metastasis (SOM) in female gastric cancer (GC) cases. Methods Pathologically confirmed GC cases in 2 cohorts were retrospectively enrolled. All cases had presurgical abdominal contrast-enhanced CT and pelvis contrast-enhanced MRI and pathological examinations for any suspicious ovarian lesions detected by MRI. Cohort 1 cases (n = 101) were included as the training set. Radiomics features were obtained to develop a radscore. A nomogram combining the radscore and clinical factors was built to detect SOM. The bootstrap method was carried out in cohort 1 as internal validation. External validation was carried out in cohort 2 (n = 46). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis, decision curve analysis (DCA) and the confusion matrix were utilized to assess the performances of the radscore, nomogram and subjective evaluation model. Results The nomogram, which combined age and the radscore, displayed a higher AUC than the radscore and subjective evaluation (0.910 vs 0.827 vs 0.773) in the training cohort. In the external validation cohort, the nomogram also had a higher AUC than the radscore and subjective evaluation (0.850 vs 0.790 vs 0.675). DCA and the confusion matrix confirmed the nomogram was superior to the radscore in both cohorts. Conclusions This pilot study showed that a nomogram model combining the radscore and clinical characteristics is useful in detecting SOM in female GC cases. It may be applied to improve clinical treatment and is superior to subjective evaluation or the radscore alone.

The feasibility of 18F-FDG PET/CT for predicting pathologic risk status in early-stage uterine cervical squamous cancer

Abstract Background Postoperative pathologic risk factors (PRFs) could increase the recurrence rate in early-stage uterine cervical squamous cancer (ECSC). Our study intended to explore the efficiency of 18F-FDG PET/CT for assessing the pathologic risk status (PRS) in ECSC patients. Methods This retrospective study was performed in 240 ECSC patients with stage IA2-IIA2 (FIGO 2009), who underwent preoperative PET/CT scans and subsequent radical surgery between January 2010 and July 2015. Intermediate-risk (tumour diameter ≥ 4 cm, stromal invasion depth ≥ 1/2, lymphovascular space invasion (LVSI)), and high-risk factors (parametria involvement, positive surgery margin, pelvic lymph node metastasis) were confirmed by postoperative pathology. Patients with none of these PRFs were at a low risk for relapse. One of these PRFs was defined as positive risk. The relationship between each PRF and 18F-FDG uptake was analysed by t-test. Chi-square tests and logistic regression analyses were used to determine the efficiency of PET/CT parameters for assessing the PRS. The area under the curve (AUC) was used as an indicator for predictive efficiency. Results Patients with higher SUVmax (p < 0.001), MTV (p < 0.001) and TLG (p < 0.001) had larger tumour sizes and deeper stromal invasion. Further multivariate analyses showed SUVmax and TLG were independent predictors for positive- and intermediate-risk status. In high-risk group, MTV and TLG were associated with pelvic lymph node metastasis and parametria involvement. However, only MTV was a significant indicator. Conclusions Preoperative 18F-FDG PET/CT had an independent predictive value for PRS in ECSC.

Development of a dual energy CT based model to assess response to treatment in patients with high grade serous ovarian cancer: a pilot cohort study

Abstract Background In patients with cancer, the current gold standard for assessing response to treatment involves measuring cancer lesions on computed tomography (CT) imaging. The percentage change in size of specific lesions determines whether patients have had a complete/partial response or progressive disease, according to RECIST criteria. Dual Energy CT (DECT) permits additional measurements of iodine concentration, a surrogate marker of vascularity. Here we explore the role of changes in iodine concentration within cancer tissue on CT scans to assess its suitability for determining treatment response in patients with high grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC). Methods Suitable RECIST measurable lesions were identified from the CT images of HGSOC patients, taken at 2 different time points (pre and post treatment). Changes in size and iodine concentration were measured for each lesion. PR/SD were classified as responders, PD was classified as non-responder. Radiological responses were correlated with clinical and CA125 outcomes. Results 62 patients had appropriate imaging for assessment. 22 were excluded as they only had one DECT scan. 32/40 patients assessed (113 lesions) had received treatment for relapsed HGSOC. RECIST and GCIG (Gynaecologic Cancer Inter Group) CA125 criteria / clinical assessment of response for patients was correlated with changes in iodine concentration, before and after treatment. The prediction of median progression free survival was significantly better associated with changes in iodine concentration (p = 0.0001) and GCIG Ca125 / clinical assessment (p = 0.0028) in comparison to RECIST criteria (p = 0.43). Conclusion Changes in iodine concentration from dual energy CT imaging may be more suitable than RECIST in assessing response to treatment in patients with HGSOC. Trial Registration CICATRIx IRAS number 198179, 14 Dec 2015, https://www.myresearchproject.org.uk/.

Tumor stiffness measured by 3D magnetic resonance elastography can help predict the aggressiveness of endometrial carcinoma: preliminary findings

AbstractBackgroundPreoperative evaluation of aggressiveness, including tumor histological subtype, grade of differentiation, Federation International of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage, and depth of myometrial invasion, is significant for treatment planning and prognosis in endometrial carcinoma (EC). The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether three-dimensional (3D) magnetic resonance elastography (MRE) can help predict the aggressiveness of EC.MethodsFrom August 2015 to January 2019, 82 consecutive patients with suspected uterine tumors underwent pelvic MRI and MRE scans, and 15 patients with confirmed EC after surgical resection were enrolled. According to pathological results (tumor grade, histological subtype, FIGO stage, and myometrial invasiveness), the patients were divided into two subgroups. The independent-samples t-test or Mann-Whitney U test was used to compare the stiffness between different groups. The diagnostic performance was determined with receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis.ResultsThe stiffness of EC with ≥ 50 % (n = 6) myometrial invasion was significantly higher than that with < 50 % (n = 9) myometrial invasion (3.68 ± 0.59 kPa vs. 2.61 ± 0.72 kPa,p = 0.009). Using a stiffness of 3.04 kPa as a cutoff value resulted in 100 % sensitivity and 77.8 % specificity for differentiating ≥ 50 % myometrial invasion from < 50 % myometrial invasion of EC. The stiffness of poorly differentiated EC (n = 8) was significantly higher than that of well/moderately differentiated EC (n = 7) (3.47 ± 0.64 kPa vs. 2.55 ± 0.82 kPa,p = 0.028). Using a stiffness of 3.04 kPa as a cutoff value resulted in 75 % sensitivity and 71.4 % specificity for differentiating poorly differentiated from well/moderately differentiated EC. The stiffness of FIGO stage II/III EC was significantly higher than that of FIGO stage I EC (3.69 ± 0.65 kPa vs. 2.72 ± 0.76 kPa,p = 0.030). Using a stiffness of 3.04 kPa as a cutoff value resulted in 100 % sensitivity and 70 % specificity for differentiating FIGO stage I EC from FIGO stage II/III EC. The tumor stiffness value in type II (n = 3) EC was higher than that in type I (n = 12) EC (3.67 ± 0.59 kPa vs. 2.88 ± 0.85 kPa), but the difference was not significant (p = 0.136).ConclusionsTumor stiffness measured by 3D MRE may be potentially useful for predicting tumor grade, FIGO stage and myometrial invasion of EC and can aid in the preoperative risk stratification of EC.

Combinative evaluation of primary tumor and lymph nodes to predict pelvic lymphatic metastasis in cervical cancer: an integrated PET-IVIM MRI study

Abstract Background The aim of this study was to evaluate the value of combining pelvic lymph node and tumor characteristics on positron emission tomography-intravoxel incoherent motion magnetic resonance (PET-IVIM MR) imaging for predicting lymph node metastasis in patients with cervical cancer, especially in those with negative lymph nodes on PET. Methods The medical records of 95 patients with cervical cancer who underwent surgical resection with pelvic lymph node dissection were evaluated. The patients were divided into negative and positive groups according to postoperative pathologic lymph node diagnosis, and comparisons of the PET and IVIM-derived parameters between the two groups were performed. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to construct a predictive model of lymph node metastasis. Results For all patients, tumor SUVmax, TLG, Dmin, PET and MRI for lymph node diagnosis showed significant differences between patients with and without confirmed lymph node metastasis. Univariate and multivariate logistic analysis showed that the combination of tumor TLG, Dmin and PET for lymph node diagnosis had the strongest predictive value (AUC 0.913, p < 0.001). For patients with PET-negative lymph nodes, SUVmax, SUVmean, MTV, TLG, and Dmin showed significant between-group differences, and univariate and multivariate logistic analysis showed that TLG had the strongest predictive value. Conclusions The combination of tumorTLG, Dmin and PET for lymph node diagnosis is a powerful prognostic factor for all patients. TLG has the best predictive performance in patients with PET negative lymph nodes.

The value of DWI in predicting the response to synchronous radiochemotherapy for advanced cervical carcinoma: comparison among three mathematical models

Abstract Background Diffusion weighted imaging(DWI) mode mainly includes intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM), stretched exponential model (SEM) and Gaussian diffusion model, but it is still unclear which mode is the most valuable in predicting the response to radiochemotherapy for cervical cancer. This study aims to compare the values of three mathematical models in predicting the response to synchronous radiochemotherapy for cervical cancer. Methods Eighty-four patients with cervical cancer were enrolled into this study. They underwent DWI examination by using 12 b-values prior to treatment. The imaging parameters were calculated on the basis of IVIM, SEM and Gaussian diffusion models respectively. The imaging parameters derived from three mathematical modes were compared between responders and non-responders groups. The repeatability of each imaging parameter was assessed. Results The ADC, D or DDC value was lower in responders than in non-responders groups (P = 0.03, 0.02, 0.01). The α value was higher in responders group than in non-responders group (P = 0.03). DDC had the largest area under curves (AUC) (=0.948) in predicting the response to treatment. The imaging parameters derived from SEM had better repeatability (CCC for DDC and α were 0.969 and 0.924 respectively) than that derived from other exponential models. Conclusion Three exponential modes of DWI are useful for predicting the response to radiochemotherapy for cervical cancer, and SEM may be used as a potential optimal model for predicting treatment effect.

Endometrial cancer risk stratification using MRI radiomics: corroborating with choline metabolism

Abstract Background and purpose Radiomics offers little explainability. This study aims to develop a radiomics model (Rad-Score) using diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) to predict high-risk patients for nodal metastasis or recurrence in endometrial cancer (EC) and corroborate with choline metabolism. Materials and methods From August 2015 to July 2018, 356 EC patients were enrolled. Rad-Score was developed using LASSO regression in a training cohort (n = 287) and validated in an independent test cohort (n = 69). MR spectroscopy (MRS) was also used in 230 patients. Nuclear MRS measured choline metabolites in 70 tissue samples. The performance was compared against European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) risk groups. A P < .05 denoted statistical significance. Results Rad-Score achieved 71.1% accuracy in the training and 71.0% in the testing cohorts. Incorporating clinical parameters of age, tumor type, size, and grade, Rad-Signature reached accuracies of 73.2% in training and 75.4% in testing cohorts, closely matching the performance to the post-operatively based ESMO's 70.7% and 78.3%. Rad-Score was significantly associated with increased total choline levels on MRS (P = .034) and tissue levels (P = .019). Conclusions Development of a preoperative radiomics risk score, comparable to ESMO clinical standard and associated with altered choline metabolism, shows translational relevance for radiomics in high-risk EC patients. Trial registration This study was registered in ClinicalTrials.gov on 2015–08-01 with Identifier NCT02528864.

Co-reactivity pattern of glucose metabolism and blood perfusion revealing DNA mismatch repair deficiency based on PET/DCE-MRI in endometrial cancer

Abstract Background Identifying DNA mismatch repair deficiency (MMRd) is important for prognosis risk stratification in patients with early-stage endometrial cancer (EC), but there is a notable absence of cost-effective and non-invasive preoperative assessment techniques. The study explored the co-reactivity pattern of glucose metabolism and blood perfusion in EC based on hybrid [18F]fluorodeoxyglucose ([18F]FDG) PET/dynamic contrast enhanced (DCE)-MRI to provide an imaging biomarker for identifying MMRd. Methods Patients with a history of postmenopausal bleeding and initially diagnosed with EC on ultrasound were recruited to perform a PET/DCE-MRI scan. Glucose metabolism parameters were calculated on PET, and blood perfusion parameters were calculated semi-automatically by the DCE-Tofts pharmacokinetic model. The MMRd of early-stage EC was evaluated by immunohistochemistry. The synchronous variation of PET and DCE-MRI parameters was compared between the MMRd and mismatch repair proficiency (MMRp). The association between PET/DCE-MRI and MMRd was analyzed by logistic regression to establish the digital biomarker for predicting MMRd. Receiver operating characteristic curve, decision curve analysis, and the net reclassification index (NRI) were used to evaluate the value of the digital biomarker in identifying MMRd. Results Eighty-six early-stage EC cases (58.92 ± 10.13 years old, 34 MMRd) were enrolled. The max/mean standardized uptake value (SUVmax/SUVmean), metabolic tumor volume, total lesion glycolysis, transfer constant (Ktrans), and efflux rate (Kep) were higher in MMRd than those in MMRp (P < 0.001, < 0.001, 0.002, 0.004, < 0.001, and 0.005, respectively). The correlations between glucose metabolism and blood perfusion were different between the MMRd and MMRp subgroups. SUVmax was correlated with Kep (r = 0.36) in the MMRd. SUVmean (odds ratio [OR] = 1.32, P = 0.006) and Ktrans (OR = 1.90, P = 0.021) were independent risk factors for MMRd. And the digital biomarker that combined SUVmean and Ktrans outperformed in identifying MMRd in early-stage EC more than DCE-MRI (AUC: 0.83 vs. 0.78, NRI = 13%). Conclusion A potential digital biomarker based on [18F]FDG PET/DCE-MRI can identify MMRd for prognosis risk stratification in early-stage EC.

Head-to-head comparison of 18F-FDG and 68Ga-FAPI PET/CT in common gynecological malignancies

Abstract Background 68Ga-FAPI (fibroblast activation protein inhibitor) is a novel and highly promising radiotracer for PET/CT imaging. It has shown significant tumor uptake and high sensitivity in lesion detection across a range of cancer types. We aimed to compare the diagnostic value of 68Ga-FAPI and 18F-FDG PET/CT in common gynecological malignancies. Methods This retrospective study included 35 patients diagnosed with common gynecological tumors, including breast cancer, ovarian cancer, and cervical cancer. Among the 35 patients, 27 underwent PET/CT for the initial assessment of tumors, while 8 were assessed for recurrence detection. The median and range of tumor size and maximum standardized uptake values (SUVmax) were calculated. Results Thirty-five patients (median age, 57 years [interquartile range], 51–65 years) were evaluated. In treatment-naive patients (n = 27), 68Ga-FAPI PET/CT led to upstaging of the clinical TNM stage in five (19%) patients compared with 18F-FDG PET/CT. No significant difference in tracer uptake was observed between 18F-FDG and 68Ga-FAPI for primary lesions: breast cancer (7.2 vs. 4.9, P = 0.086), ovarian cancer (16.3 vs. 15.7, P = 0.345), and cervical cancer (18.3 vs. 17.1, P = 0.703). For involved lymph nodes, 68Ga-FAPI PET/CT demonstrated a higher SUVmax for breast cancer (9.9 vs. 6.1, P = 0.007) and cervical cancer (6.3 vs. 4.8, P = 0.048), while no significant difference was noted for ovarian cancer (7.0 vs. 5.9, P = 0.179). Furthermore, 68Ga-FAPI PET/CT demonstrated higher specificity and accuracy compared to 18F-FDG PET/CT for detecting metastatic lymph nodes (100% vs. 66%, P < 0.001; 94% vs. 80%, P < 0.001). In contrast, sensitivity did not differ significantly (97% vs. 86%, P = 0.125). For most distant metastases, 68Ga-FAPI exhibited a higher SUVmax than 18F-FDG in bone metastases (12.9 vs. 4.9, P = 0.036). Conclusions 68Ga-FAPI PET/CT demonstrated higher tracer uptake and was superior to 18F-FDG PET/CT in detecting primary and metastatic lesions in patients with common gynecological malignancies. Trial registration ChiCTR, ChiCTR2100044131. Registered 10 October 2022, https://www.chictr.org.cn, ChiCTR2100044131.

Associations between ADC histogram analysis values and tumor-micro milieu in uterine cervical cancer

Abstract Background The complex interactions of the tumor micromilieu may be reflected by diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) derived from the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The present study investigated the association between apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values and histopathologic features in uterine cervical cancer. Methods In this retrospective study, prebiopsy MRI was used to analyze histogram ADC-parameters. The biopsy specimens were stained for Ki-67, E-cadherin, vimentin and tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL, all CD45 positive cells). Tumor-stroma ratio (TSR) was calculated on routine H&E specimens. Spearman’s correlation analysis and receiver-operating characteristics curves were used as statistical analyses. Results The patient sample comprised 70 female patients (age range 32–79 years; mean age 55.4 years) with squamous cell cervical carcinoma. The interreader agreement was high ranging from intraclass coefficient (ICC) = 0.71 for entropy to ICC = 0.96 for ADCmedian. Several ADC-histogram parameters correlated strongly with the TSR. The highest correlation coefficient achieved p10 (r = -0.81, p < 0.0001). ADCmean can predict tumors with high TSR, AUC: 0.91, sensitivity: 0.91 (95% CI 0.77;0.96), specificity: 0.91 (95% CI 0.78;0.97). Several ADC-histogram parameters correlated slightly with the proliferation index Ki-67. No associations were found with TIL, E-Cadherin and vimentin. In well and moderately differentiated cancers, ADC histogram values showed stronger correlations with Ki-67 and TSR than in poorly differentiated tumors. Conclusion ADC values are strongly associated with tumor-stroma ratio. The ADC mean can be used to predict tumors with high TSR. Associations between histopathology and ADC values depend on tumor differentiation. ADC values show only weak associations with Ki-67 and none with TIL, vimentin and E-cadherin.

MRI radiomics and nutritional-inflammatory biomarkers: a powerful combination for predicting progression-free survival in cervical cancer patients undergoing concurrent chemoradiotherapy

Abstract Objective This study aims to develop and validate a predictive model that integrates clinical features, MRI radiomics, and nutritional-inflammatory biomarkers to forecast progression-free survival (PFS) in cervical cancer (CC) patients undergoing concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT). The goal is to identify high-risk patients and guide personalized treatment. Methods We performed a retrospective analysis of 188 patients from two centers, divided into training (132) and validation (56) sets. Clinical data, systemic inflammatory markers, and immune-nutritional indices were collected. Radiomic features from three MRI sequences were extracted and selected for predictive value. We developed and evaluated five models incorporating clinical features, nutritional-inflammatory indicators, and radiomics using C-index. The best-performing model was used to create a nomogram, which was validated through ROC curves, calibration plots, and decision curve analysis (DCA). Results Model 5, which integrates clinical features, Systemic Immune-Inflammation Index (SII), Prognostic Nutritional Index (PNI), and MRI radiomics, showed the highest performance. It achieved a C-index of 0.833 (95% CI: 0.792–0.874) in the training set and 0.789 (95% CI: 0.679–0.899) in the validation set. The nomogram derived from Model 5 effectively stratified patients into risk groups, with AUCs of 0.833, 0.941, and 0.973 for 1-year, 3-year, and 5-year PFS in the training set, and 0.812, 0.940, and 0.944 in the validation set. Conclusions The integrated model combining clinical features, nutritional-inflammatory biomarkers, and radiomics offers a robust tool for predicting PFS in CC patients undergoing CCRT. The nomogram provides precise predictions, supporting its application in personalized patient management.

Meningioma in mature cystic teratoma of the ovary: clinical and computed tomography findings

Abstract Background Mature cystic teratoma (MCT) with meningioma of the ovary is a very rare benign tumor. There is only 3 reports of this disease until June 2019. The aim of the present study was to describe a ovarian mature cystic teratoma containing meningioma and nests of neuroblasts in a 15-year-old girl. Methods The method used in the present study consists of description of the clinical history, image lab features, and pathological result. Results The patient complained of a 2-month history of irregular vaginal bleeding. Abdominal computed tomography (CT) showed a large oval cystic-solid mass with septations and fat density shadow, in abdomen pelvic cavity. The cystic part was the main component in the mass. The tumoral solid parts and its internal division could be seen intensified from slight to moderate on contrast-enhanced CT images compared with those on precontrast images, and the solid parts showed heterogeneous enhancement. Neighbouring intestinal tract and the uterus displaced by compression. The pathological examination confirmed the diagnosis. Conclusions The clinical feature of ovarian mature cystic teratoma with meningioma includes a lack of specificity. Only meticulous recording of the gross features, histopathological examination including immunohistochemistry and supportive clinical and radiological findings to arrive at a correct diagnosis in case of unconventional tumours. If necessary, preoperative puncture can be performed.

Integrating O-RADS US v2022, CEUS, and CA125 to enhance the diagnostic differentiation of ovarian masses: development of the OCC-US model

Differentiating between benign and malignant ovarian masses remains a significant clinical challenge. Although the Ovarian-Adnexal Reporting and Data System Ultrasound Version 2022 (O-RADS US v2022) provides standardized terminology and high sensitivity, its specificity remains suboptimal, potentially leading to overdiagnosis and overtreatment. Incorporating tumor vascularity evaluation via contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) and serum tumor markers like CA125 may enhance diagnostic accuracy and help guide clinical management more effectively. A retrospective study of 909 patients with adnexal masses undergoing ultrasound at Sichuan Cancer Hospital from May 2022 to March 2025 was conducted. O-RADS US v2022, CEUS scores, and CA125 levels were analyzed to develop a novel scoring system (OCC-US). Diagnostic performance was evaluated using ROC curves, logistic regression, and inter-observer agreement analysis. Additionally, a temporally independent validation cohort was retrospectively assembled to assess the generalizability and diagnostic accuracy of the OCC-US model. A total of 609 patients were enrolled in the development cohort between May 2022 and May 2024. ROC analysis identified O-RADS US v2022 ≥ 4, CEUS score ≥ 4, and CA125 ≥ 37.815 U/mL as independent predictors of malignancy. Based on these variables, the OCC-US scoring system was developed, assigning 2 points each for O-RADS ≥ 4 and CEUS score ≥ 4, and 1 point for CA125 ≥ 37.815 U/mL (total score range: 0-5). OCC-US achieved the highest diagnostic performance with an AUC of 0.916, outperforming OC-US (0.891), CEUS (0.877), O-RADS US v2022 (0.871), and CA125 (0.784). It significantly improved specificity (85.4% vs. 71.5%, P < 0.001) while maintaining high sensitivity (84.9%), reducing the false-positive rate from 23.1% (O-RADS US v2022) to 6.2%. OCC-US also reduced unnecessary surgical recommendations from 300 (O-RADS US v2022) to 243 (P < 0.001). Inter-observer agreement was excellent (κ = 0.840, P < 0.001), indicating high reliability. In the temporally independent external validation cohort (300 patients enrolled between June 2024 and March 2025), the OCC-US model maintained stable diagnostic performance, with an AUC of 0.867. The OCC-US model enhances diagnostic specificity while maintaining high sensitivity, optimizing risk stratification and surgical decision-making. Further multi-center prospective studies are needed for broader validation.

A comparative study of methods for determining Intravoxel incoherent motion parameters in cervix cancer

Abstract Background To compare different fitting methods for determining IVIM (Intravoxel Incoherent Motion) parameters and to determine whether the use of different IVIM fitting methods would affect differentiation of cervix cancer from normal cervix tissue. Methods Diffusion-weighted echo-planar imaging of 30 subjects was performed on a 3.0 T scanner with b-values of 0, 30, 100, 200, 400, 1000 s/mm2. IVIM parameters were estimated using the segmented (two-step) fitting method and by simultaneous fitting of a bi-exponential function. Segmented fitting was performed using two different cut-off b-values (100 and 200 s/mm2) to study possible variations due to the choice of cut-off. Friedman’s test and Student’s t-test were respectively used to compare IVIM parameters derived from different methods, and between cancer and normal tissues. Results No significant difference was found between IVIM parameters derived from the segmented method with b-value cutoff of 200 s/mm2 and the simultaneous fitting method (P&gt;0.05). Tissue diffusivity (D) and perfusion fraction (f) were significantly lower in cervix cancer than normal tissue (P&lt; 0.05). Conclusions IVIM parameters derived using fitting methods with small cutoff b-values could be different, however, the segmented method with b-value cutoff of 200 s/mm2 are consistent with the simultaneous fitting method and both can be used to differentiate between cervix cancer and normal tissue.

Radiomics signature for dynamic changes of tumor-infiltrating CD8+ T cells and macrophages in cervical cancer during chemoradiotherapy

Abstract Background Our previous study suggests that tumor CD8+ T cells and macrophages (defined as CD68+ cells) infiltration underwent dynamic and heterogeneous changes during concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) in cervical cancer patients, which correlated with their short-term tumor response. This study aims to develop a CT image-based radiomics signature for such dynamic changes. Methods Thirty cervical squamous cell carcinoma patients, who were treated with CCRT followed by brachytherapy, were included in this study. Pre-therapeutic CT images were acquired. And tumor biopsies with immunohistochemistry at primary sites were performed at baseline (0 fraction (F)) and immediately after 10F. Radiomics features were extracted from the region of interest (ROI) of CT images using Matlab. The LASSO regression model with ten-fold cross-validation was utilized to select features and construct an immunomarker classifier and a radiomics signature. Their performance was evaluated by the area under the curve (AUC). Results The changes of tumor-infiltrating CD8+T cells and macrophages after 10F radiotherapy as compared to those at baseline were used to generate the immunomarker classifier (AUC= 0.842, 95% CI:0.680–1.000). Additionally, a radiomics signature was developed using 4 key radiomics features to predict the immunomarker classifier (AUC=0.875, 95% CI:0.753-0.997). The patients stratified based on this signature exhibited significant differences in treatment response (p = 0.004). Conclusion The radiomics signature could be used as a potential predictor for the CCRT-induced dynamic alterations of CD8+ T cells and macrophages, which may provide a less invasive approach to appraise tumor immune status during CCRT in cervical cancer compared to tissue biopsy.

Radiation-induced occult insufficiency fracture or bone metastasis after radiotherapy for cervical cancer? The nomogram based on quantitative apparent diffusion coefficients for discrimination

AbstractBackgroundRadiation-induced insufficiency fractures (IF) is frequently occult without fracture line, which may be mistaken as metastasis. Quantitative apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) shows potential value for characterization of benign and malignant bone marrow diseases. The purpose of this study was to develop a nomogram based on multi-parametric ADCs in the differntiation of occult IF from bone metastasis after radiotherapy (RT) for cervical cancer.MethodsThis study included forty-seven patients with cervical cancer that showed emerging new bone lesions in RT field during the follow-up. Multi-parametric quantitative ADC values were measured for each lesion by manually setting region of interests (ROIs) on ADC maps, and the ROIs were copied to adjacent normal muscle and bone marrow. Six parameters were calculated, including ADCmean, ADCmin, ADCmax, ADCstd, ADCmeanratio (lesion/normal bone) and ADCmeanratio (lesion/muscle). For univariate analysis, receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) analysis was performed to assess the performance. For combined diagnosis, a nomogram model was developed by using a multivariate logistic regression analysis.ResultsA total of 75 bone lesions were identified, including 48 occult IFs and 27 bone metastases. There were significant differences in the six ADC parameters between occult IFs and bone metastases (p &lt; 0.05), the ADC ratio (lesion/ muscle) showed an optimal diagnostic efficacy, with an area under ROC (AUC) of 0.887, the sensitivity of 95.8%, the specificity of 81.5%, respectively. Regarding combined diagnosis, ADCstdand ADCmeanratio (lesion/muscle) were identified as independent factors and were selected to generate a nomogram model. The nomogram model showed a better performance, yielded an AUC of 0.92, the sensitivity of 91.7%, the specificity of 96.3%, positive predictive value (PPV) of 97.8% and negative predictive value (NPV) of 86.7%, respectively.ConclusionsMulti-parametric ADC values demonstrate potential value for differentiating occult IFs from bone metastasis, a nomogram based on the combination of ADCstdand ADCmeanratio (lesion/muscle) may provide an improved classification performance.

Diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging of primary cervical cancer in the detection of sub-centimetre metastatic lymph nodes

Abstract Background Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has limited accuracy in detecting pelvic lymph node (PLN) metastasis. This study aimed to examine the use of intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) in classifying pelvic lymph node (PLN) involvement in cervical cancer patients. Methods Fifty cervical cancer patients with pre-treatment magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were examined for PLN involvement by one subspecialist and one non-subspecialist radiologist. PLN status was confirmed by positron emission tomography or histology. The tumours were then segmented by both radiologists. Kruskal-Wallis tests were used to test for differences between diffusion tumour volume (DTV), apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC), pure diffusion coefficient (D), and perfusion fraction (f) in patients with no malignant PLN involvement, those with sub-centimetre and size-significant PLN metastases. These parameters were then considered as classifiers for PLN involvement, and were compared with the accuracies of radiologists. Results Twenty-one patients had PLN involvement of which 10 had sub-centimetre metastatic PLNs. DTV increased (p = 0.013) while ADC (p = 0.015), and f (p = 0.006) decreased as the nodal status progressed from no malignant involvement to sub-centimetre and then size-significant PLN metastases. In determining PLN involvement, a classification model (DTV + f) had similar accuracies (80%) as the non-subspecialist (76%; p = 0.73) and subspecialist (90%; p = 0.31). However, in identifying patients with sub-centimetre PLN metastasis, the model had higher accuracy (90%) than the non-subspecialist (30%; p = 0.01) but had similar accuracy with the subspecialist (90%, p = 1.00). Interobserver variability in tumour delineation did not significantly affect the performance of the classification model. Conclusion IVIM is useful in determining PLN involvement but the added value decreases with reader experience.

Robustness of magnetic resonance radiomic features to pixel size resampling and interpolation in patients with cervical cancer

Abstract Background Radiomics is a promising field in oncology imaging. However, the implementation of radiomics clinically has been limited because its robustness remains unclear. Previous CT and PET studies suggested that radiomic features were sensitive to variations in pixel size and slice thickness of the images. The purpose of this study was to assess robustness of magnetic resonance (MR) radiomic features to pixel size resampling and interpolation in patients with cervical cancer. Methods This retrospective study included 254 patients with a pathological diagnosis of cervical cancer stages IB to IVA who received definitive chemoradiation at our institution between January 2006 and June 2020. Pretreatment MR scans were analyzed. Each region of cervical cancer was segmented on the axial gadolinium-enhanced T1- and T2-weighted images; 107 radiomic features were extracted. MR scans were interpolated and resampled using various slice thicknesses and pixel spaces. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) were calculated between the original images and images that underwent pixel size resampling (OP), interpolation (OI), or pixel size resampling and interpolation (OP+I) as well as among processed image sets with various pixel spaces (P), various slice thicknesses (I), and both (P + I). Results After feature standardization, ≥86.0% of features showed good robustness when compared between the original and processed images (OP, OI, and OP+I) and ≥ 88.8% of features showed good robustness when processed images were compared (P, I, and P + I). Although most first-order, shape, and texture features showed good robustness, GLSZM small-area emphasis-related features and NGTDM strength were sensitive to variations in pixel size and slice thickness. Conclusion Most MR radiomic features in patients with cervical cancer were robust after pixel size resampling and interpolation following the feature standardization process. The understanding regarding the robustness of individual features after pixel size resampling and interpolation could help future radiomics research.

Diagnostic efficiency of whole-body 18F-FDG PET/MRI, MRI alone, and SUV and ADC values in staging of primary uterine cervical cancer

Abstract Background The use of PET/MRI for gynecological cancers is emerging. The purpose of this study was to assess the additional diagnostic value of PET over MRI alone in local and whole-body staging of cervical cancer, and to evaluate the benefit of standardized uptake value (SUV) and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) in staging. Methods Patients with histopathologically-proven cervical cancer and whole-body 18F-FDG PET/MRI obtained before definitive treatment were retrospectively registered. Local tumor spread, nodal involvement, and distant metastases were evaluated using PET/MRI or MRI dataset alone. Histopathology or clinical consensus with follow-up imaging were used as reference standard. Tumor SUVmax and ADC were measured and SUVmax/ADC ratio calculated. Area under the curve (AUC) was determined to predict diagnostic performance and Mann-Whitney U test was applied for group comparisons. Results In total, 33 patients who underwent surgery (n = 23) or first-line chemoradiation (n = 10) were included. PET/MRI resulted in higher AUC compared with MRI alone in detecting parametrial (0.89 versus 0.73), vaginal (0.85 versus 0.74), and deep cervical stromal invasion (0.96 versus 0.74), respectively. PET/MRI had higher diagnostic confidence than MRI in identifying patients with radical cone biopsy and no residual at hysterectomy (sensitivity 89% versus 44%). PET/MRI and MRI showed equal AUC for pelvic nodal staging (both 0.73), whereas AUC for distant metastases was higher using PET/MRI (0.80 versus 0.67). Tumor SUVmax/ADC ratio, but not SUVmax or ADC alone, was significantly higher in the presence of metastatic pelvic lymph nodes (P &lt; 0.05). Conclusions PET/MRI shows higher accuracy than MRI alone for determining local tumor spread and distant metastasis emphasizing the added value of PET over MRI alone in staging of cervical cancer. Tumor SUVmax/ADC ratio may predict pelvic nodal involvement.

MRI-based radiomics value for predicting the survival of patients with locally advanced cervical squamous cell cancer treated with concurrent chemoradiotherapy

Abstract Background To investigate the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-based radiomics value in predicting the survival of patients with locally advanced cervical squamous cell cancer (LACSC) treated with concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT). Methods A total of 185 patients (training group: n = 128; testing group: n = 57) with LACSC treated with CCRT between January 2014 and December 2018 were retrospectively enrolled in this study. A total of 400 radiomics features were extracted from T2-weighted imaging, apparent diffusion coefficient map, arterial- and delayed-phase contrast-enhanced MRI. Univariate Cox regression and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator Cox regression was applied to select radiomics features and clinical characteristics that could independently predict progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). The predictive capability of the prediction model was evaluated using Harrell’s C-index. Nomograms and calibration curves were then generated. Survival curves were generated using the Kaplan-Meier method, and the log-rank test was used for comparison. Results The radiomics score achieved significantly better predictive performance for the estimation of PFS (C-index, 0.764 for training and 0.762 for testing) and OS (C-index, 0.793 for training and 0.750 for testing), compared with the 2018 FIGO staging system (C-index for PFS, 0.657 for training and 0.677 for testing; C-index for OS, 0.665 for training and 0.633 for testing) and clinical-predicting model (C-index for PFS, 0.731 for training and 0.725 for testing; C-index for OS, 0.708 for training and 0.693 for testing) (P &lt; 0.05). The combined model constructed with T stage, lymph node metastasis position, and radiomics score achieved the best performance for the estimation of PFS (C-index, 0.792 for training and 0.809 for testing) and OS (C-index, 0.822 for training and 0.785 for testing), which were significantly higher than those of the radiomics score (P &lt; 0.05). Conclusions The MRI-based radiomics score could provide effective information in predicting the PFS and OS in patients with LACSC treated with CCRT. The combined model (including MRI-based radiomics score and clinical characteristics) showed the best prediction performance.

Publisher

Springer Science and Business Media LLC

ISSN

1470-7330