Can FDG-PET/CT predict early response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy in breast cancer?

Exploring Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy, Predictive Models, Radiomic, and Pathological Markers in Breast Cancer: A Comprehensive Review

Breast cancer retains its position as the most prevalent form of malignancy among females on a global scale. The careful selection of appropriate treatment for each patient holds paramount importance in effectively managing breast cancer. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) plays a pivotal role in the comprehensive treatment of this disease. Administering chemotherapy before surgery, NACT becomes a powerful tool in reducing tumor size, potentially enabling fewer invasive surgical procedures and even rendering initially inoperable tumors amenable to surgery. However, a significant challenge lies in the varying responses exhibited by different patients towards NACT. To address this challenge, researchers have focused on developing prediction models that can identify those who would benefit from NACT and those who would not. Such models have the potential to reduce treatment costs and contribute to a more efficient and accurate management of breast cancer. Therefore, this review has two objectives: first, to identify the most effective radiomic markers correlated with NACT response, and second, to explore whether integrating radiomic markers extracted from radiological images with pathological markers can enhance the predictive accuracy of NACT response. This review will delve into addressing these research questions and also shed light on the emerging research direction of leveraging artificial intelligence techniques for predicting NACT response, thereby shaping the future landscape of breast cancer treatment.

Enhanced full-inversion-based ultrasound elastography for evaluating tumor response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy in patients with locally advanced breast cancer

PURPOSE

An enhanced ultrasound elastography technique is proposed for early assessment of locally advanced breast cancer (LABC) response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC).

METHODS

The proposed elastography technique inputs ultrasound radiofrequency data obtained through tissue quasi-static stimulation and adapts a strain refinement algorithm formulated based on fundamental principles of continuum mechanics, coupled with an iterative inverse finite element method to reconstruct the breast Young's modulus (E) images. The technique was explored for therapy response assessment using data acquired from 25 LABC patients before and at weeks 1, 2, and 4 after the NAC initiation (100 scans). The E ratio of tumor to the surrounding tissue was calculated at different scans and compared to the baseline for each patient. Patients' response to NAC was determined many months later using standard clinical and histopathological criteria.

RESULTS

Reconstructed E ratio changes obtained as early as one week after the NAC onset demonstrate very good separation between the two cohorts of responders and non-responders to NAC. Statistically significant differences were observed in the E ratio changes between the two patient cohorts at weeks 1 to 4 after treatment (p-value < 0.001; statistical power greater than 97%). A significant difference in axial strain ratio changes was observed only at week 4 (p-value = 0.01; statistical power = 76%). No significant difference was observed in tumor size changes at weeks 1, 2 or 4.

CONCLUSION

The proposed elastography technique demonstrates a high potential for chemotherapy response monitoring in LABC patients and superior performance compared to strain imaging.

ACR Appropriateness Criteria® Monitoring Response to Neoadjuvant Systemic Therapy for Breast Cancer: 2022 Update

Imaging plays a vital role in managing patients undergoing neoadjuvant chemotherapy, as treatment decisions rely heavily on accurate assessment of response to therapy. This document provides evidence-based guidelines for imaging breast cancer before, during, and after initiation of neoadjuvant chemotherapy. The American College of Radiology Appropriateness Criteria are evidence-based guidelines for specific clinical conditions that are reviewed annually by a multidisciplinary expert panel. The guideline development and revision process support the systematic analysis of the medical literature from peer reviewed journals. Established methodology principles such as Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation or GRADE are adapted to evaluate the evidence. The RAND/UCLA Appropriateness Method User Manual provides the methodology to determine the appropriateness of imaging and treatment procedures for specific clinical scenarios. In those instances where peer reviewed literature is lacking or equivocal, experts may be the primary evidentiary source available to formulate a recommendation.

Evaluation of change in tumor stiffness measured by acoustic radiation force impulse imaging for early prediction of response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy in breast cancer

OBJECTIVES

In this study, the role of change in tumor stiffness between pre- and post-two cycles of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) measured by Acoustic Radiation Force Impulse (ARFI) imaging for predicting the response to NACT in breast cancer was analyzed.

METHODS

Fifty-two adult women with biopsy-proven locally advanced breast cancer and early-stage breast cancer who received NACT followed by either modified radical mastectomy or breast conservation surgery were included in the study. Tumor stiffness represented by shear wave velocity (SWV) in meter per second by ARFI imaging was measured before and after two cycles of NACT. Participants were categorized into responders and nonresponders based on pathological response assessment from the postoperative specimen. The association of change in tumor stiffness between pre- and post-two cycles of NACT with final pathological response status was assessed.

RESULTS

The mean change in SWV before and after completion of two cycles of NACT was 0.42 ± 0.16 and 0.17 ± 0.11 m/s in responders and nonresponders, respectively, and this difference was proven to be statistically significant (p < 0.001) suggesting that tumors that exhibit a larger reduction in tumor stiffness, respond better. An SWV reduction cut-off of 0.295 m/s between baseline and post-two cycles of NACT was also arrived at, which can discriminate between responders and nonresponders with a sensitivity and specificity of 88% and 83%, respectively.

CONCLUSION

Difference in tumor stiffness measured by ARFI imaging before and after two cycles of chemotherapy can be used as a reliable early predictor of response to chemotherapy in breast cancer.

Efficacy of US, MRI, and F-18 FDG-PET/CT for Detecting Axillary Lymph Node Metastasis after Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy in Breast Cancer Patients

Background: The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy of post-neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) ultrasound (US), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and F-18fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (F-18 FDG-PET/CT) for detecting post-NAC axillary lymph node(ALN) metastasis in patients who had ALN metastasis at the time of diagnosis. Methods: This study included all breast cancer patients who received NAC for ALN metastasis; underwent axillary assessment with US, MRI, or F18FDG-PET/CT; and then were operated on in the General Surgery Clinic, Adana City Research and Training Hospital, Turkey. Patients’ data were recorded, including demographic data, clinicopathological parameters, NAC regimens, and operation types. The axillary response to chemotherapy on post-NAC US, MRI, and F-18 FDG-PET/CT was compared with the postoperative histopathological result of the ALN. Results: The study included a total of 171 female patients. The mean age of the patients was 53.28 ± 10.62 years. The post-NAC assessment revealed that the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) of US for detecting ALN metastasis were 59.42%, 82.35%, 82.00%, and 60.00%, respectively, while the same measures regarding MRI for detecting ALN metastasis were 36.67%, 77.78%, 73.33%, and 42.42%, respectively. The sensitivity, specificity, PPV, and NPV of F-18FDG-PET/CT were 47.50%, 76.67%, 73.08%, and 52.27%, respectively. The evaluation of dual combinations of these three imaging techniques showed that the specificity and PPV of the combined use of US and F-18FDG-PET/CT was 100%. Conclusions: The results showed that US has the highest sensitivity and specificity for detecting ALN metastasis after NAC. Furthermore, ALND may be preferred for these patients instead of SLNB if both examinations simultaneously indicate lymph node metastasis in the post-NAC assessment with US and F-18 FDG-PET/CT. SLNB may be preferred if these two examinations simultaneously show a complete response.

Predicting Response to Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy in Locally Advanced Breast Cancer After the Second Cycle of Chemotherapy Using Shear-Wave Elastography-A Preliminary Evaluation

ABSTRACT

The primary objective of the study was to determine whether shear wave elastography can be used to predict the response of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) in women having invasive breast cancer. A prospective study involving 28 patients having invasive breast cancer and undergoing NACT followed by surgery was done after institutional review board approval. All the patients underwent 2-dimensional B-mode ultrasound and 2-dimensional shear wave elastography before the start of chemotherapy and after 2 cycles of completion of chemotherapy, and mean stiffness was recorded. The patients were segregated to responders and nonresponders based on residual cancer burden scoring. Difference in mean elasticity was compared between the 2 groups. The results showed that the mean stiffness after 2 cycles was significantly different between the responders and nonresponders and so was the change in the mean stiffness after 2 cycles of NACT. Using a cutoff value of 45.5 kPa (20.53%), change in mean elasticity after 2 cycles of NACT, sensitivity of 76.9%, and specificity of 80% with negative predictive value of 80.1 was attained. Responders show greater change in mean stiffness after 2 cycles of NACT as compared with nonresponders on shear wave elastography; thus, it can be used to predict response to NACT after 2 cycles.

Quantitative FDG PET Assessment for Oncology Therapy

Simple Summary

PET enables quantitative assessment of tumour biology in vivo. Accumulation of F-18 fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) may reflect tumour metabolic activity. Quantitative assessment of FDG uptake can be applied for treatment monitoring. Numerous studies indicated biochemical change assessed by FDG-PET as a more sensitive marker than morphological change. Those with complete metabolic response after therapy may show better prognosis. Assessment of metabolic change may be performed using absolute FDG uptake or metabolic tumour volume. More recently, radiomics approaches have been applied to FDG PET. Texture analysis quantifies intratumoral heterogeneity in a voxel-by-voxel basis. Combined with various machine learning techniques, these new quantitative parameters hold a promise for assessing tissue characterization and predicting treatment effect, and could also be used for future prognosis of various tumours.

Abstract

Positron emission tomography (PET) has unique characteristics for quantitative assessment of tumour biology in vivo. Accumulation of F-18 fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) may reflect tumour characteristics based on its metabolic activity. Quantitative assessment of FDG uptake can often be applied for treatment monitoring after chemotherapy or chemoradiotherapy. Numerous studies indicated biochemical change assessed by FDG PET as a more sensitive marker than morphological change estimated by CT or MRI. In addition, those with complete metabolic response after therapy may show better disease-free survival and overall survival than those with other responses. Assessment of metabolic change may be performed using absolute FDG uptake in the tumour (standardized uptake value: SUV). In addition, volumetric parameters such as metabolic tumour volume (MTV) have been introduced for quantitative assessment of FDG uptake in tumour. More recently, radiomics approaches that focus on image-based precision medicine have been applied to FDG PET, as well as other radiological imaging. Among these, texture analysis extracts intratumoral heterogeneity on a voxel-by-voxel basis. Combined with various machine learning techniques, these new quantitative parameters hold a promise for assessing tissue characterization and predicting treatment effect, and could also be used for future prognosis of various tumours, although multicentre clinical trials are needed before application in clinical settings.

Predicting Response to Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy Using 18F FDG PET-CT in Patients with Locally Advanced Breast Cancer

OBJECTIVE

The study was aimed to find the utility of 18F FDG PET CT in assessing response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) in female patients with locally advanced breast cancer (LABC).

METHODS

All willing women with biopsy proven LABC, following clinical evaluation underwent baseline 18F FDG PET CT along with mammosonograpy and contrast enhanced computerized chest radiography (CECT). The response was assessed clinically before each cycle of chemotherapy using RECIST criteria. Those who were progressing clinically were offered alternate chemotherapy or radiation or surgery. Clinical responders were re-evaluated with 18F FDG PET CT, mammosonogram and CT chest before surgery. The pathological response as assed with residual cancer burden score was used as gold standard.

RESULTS

Of the 30 women eligible, 26 women underwent repeat evaluation and surgery. The mean age was 49 years, 16 women were postmenopausal and 15 tumors were receptor positive. On final histopathology 15 % had completer response and 46 % were non responders. Using a cut off value of 50% of the baseline SUVmax, PET-CT had sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and accuracy of 64%, 75%, 75%, 65%, and 69%, respectively in differentiating pathological responders from non-responders.

CONCLUSION

18F FDG PET-CT predicted the response with greater accuracy than CT or clinical examination. Hence it can be used to identify non responders early in the course and alternate treatment can be offered to patients.

The Evolving Role of FDG-PET/CT in the Diagnosis, Staging, and Treatment of Breast Cancer

The applications of 2-deoxy-2-[¹⁸F]fluoro-D-glucose positron emission tomography/X-ray computed tomography (PET/CT) in the management of patients with breast cancer have been extensively studied. According to these studies, PET/CT is not routinely performed for the diagnosis of primary breast cancer, although PET/CT in specific subtypes of breast cancer correlates with histopathologic features of the primary tumor. PET/CT can detect metastases to mediastinal, axial, and internal mammary nodes, but it cannot replace the sentinel node biopsy. In detection of distant metastases, this imaging tool may have a better accuracy in detecting lytic bone metastases compared to bone scintigraphy. Thus, PET/CT is recommended when advanced-stage disease is suspected, and conventional modalities are inconclusive. Also, PET/CT has a high sensitivity and specificity to detect loco-regional recurrence and is recommended in asymptomatic patients with rising tumor markers. Numerous studies support the future role of PET/CT in prediction of response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC). PET/CT has a higher diagnostic value for prognostic risk stratification in comparison with conventional modalities. With the continuing research on the treatment planning and evaluation of patients with breast cancer, the role of PET/CT can be further extended.

Seeing Better and Going Deeper in Cancer Nanotheranostics

Biomedical imaging modalities in clinical practice have revolutionized oncology for several decades. State-of-the-art biomedical techniques allow visualizing both normal physiological and pathological architectures of the human body. The use of nanoparticles (NP) as contrast agents enabled visualization of refined contrast images with superior resolution, which assists clinicians in more accurate diagnoses and in planning appropriate therapy. These desirable features are due to the ability of NPs to carry high payloads (contrast agents or drugs), increased in vivo half-life, and disease-specific accumulation. We review the various NP-based interventions for treatments of deep-seated tumors, involving "seeing better" to precisely visualize early diagnosis and "going deeper" to activate selective therapeutics in situ.

Significance of Metabolic Tumor Volume at Baseline and Reduction of Mean Standardized Uptake Value in 18F-FDG-PET/CT Imaging for Predicting Pathological Complete Response in Breast Cancers Treated with Preoperative Chemotherapy

Background

The usefulness of ¹⁸F-fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography/computed tomography for evaluating the treatment efficacy of breast cancers is well-established; however, the predictive values of parameters such as metabolic tumor volume (MTV) and total lesion glycolysis (TLG) remain unknown.

Methods

This study examined 199 breast cancers treated with primary systemic chemotherapy (PSC) followed by operation, and determined the values of maximum standardized uptake value (SUV_max), peak SUV (SUV_peak), mean SUV (SUV_mean), MTV, and TLG at baseline. Among these cases, data on early changes in these metabolic parameters in 70 breast cancers were also assessed.

Results

A pathological complete response (pCR) was achieved in 64 breast cancers. Breast cancers with low MTV at baseline had a significantly higher pCR rate than breast cancers with high MTV (47.9% vs. 23.4%; p = 0.0005). High reduction rates (∆) of SUV_max (p = 0.0001), SUV_peak (p = 0.0001), and SUV_mean (p < 0.0001) resulted in an increased pCR compared with those for low ∆. The pCR rate was highest for the combination of low MTV and high ∆SUV_mean (86.7%), and lowest for high MTV and low ∆SUV_mean (15.4%); the remaining combinations were intermediate (58.6%; p < 0.0001). The combination of low MTV at baseline and high ∆SUV_mean was a significant and independent predictor for pCR (odds ratio 28.63; 95% confidence interval 1.94–422.42; p = 0.0146) in multivariable analysis.

Conclusions

Low levels of MTV at baseline and a high reduction of SUV_mean after PSC was significantly associated with pCR. These findings suggest the usefulness of these metabolic parameters for predicting the treatment efficacy of breast cancers.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1245/s10434-019-07325-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

ACR Appropriateness Criteria® Monitoring Response to Neoadjuvant Systemic Therapy for Breast Cancer

Patients with locally advanced invasive breast cancers are often treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy prior to definitive surgical intervention. The primary aims of this approach are to: 1) reduce tumor burden thereby permitting breast conservation rather than mastectomy; 2) promptly treat possible metastatic disease, whether or not it is detectable on preoperative staging; and 3) potentially tailor future chemotherapeutic decisions by monitoring in-vivo tumor response. Accurate radiological assessment permits optimal management and planning in this population. However, assessment of tumor size and response to treatment can vary depending on the modality used, the measurement technique (such as single longest diameter, 3-D measurements, or calculated tumor volume), and varied response of different tumor subtypes to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (such as concentric shrinkage or tumor fragmentation). As discussed in further detail, digital mammography, digital breast tomosynthesis, US and MRI represent the key modalities with potential to help guide patient management. The American College of Radiology Appropriateness Criteria are evidence-based guidelines for specific clinical conditions that are reviewed annually by a multidisciplinary expert panel. The guideline development and revision include an extensive analysis of current medical literature from peer reviewed journals and the application of well-established methodologies (RAND/UCLA Appropriateness Method and Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation or GRADE) to rate the appropriateness of imaging and treatment procedures for specific clinical scenarios. In those instances where evidence is lacking or equivocal, expert opinion may supplement the available evidence to recommend imaging or treatment.

Imaging Considerations and Interprofessional Opportunities in the Care of Breast Cancer Patients in the Neoadjuvant Setting

OBJECTIVE

To discuss standard-of-care and emerging imaging techniques employed for screening and detection, diagnosis and staging, monitoring response to therapy, and guiding cancer treatments.

DATA SOURCES

Published journal articles indexed in the National Library of Medicine database and relevant websites.

CONCLUSION

Imaging plays a fundamental role in the care of cancer patients and specifically, breast cancer patients in the neoadjuvant setting, providing an excellent opportunity for interprofessional collaboration between oncologists, researchers, radiologists, and oncology nurses. Quantitative imaging strategies to assess cellular, molecular, and vascular characteristics within the tumor is needed to better evaluate initial diagnosis and treatment response.

IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING PRACTICE

Nurses caring for patients in all settings must continue to seek education on emerging imaging techniques. Oncology nurses provide education about the test, ensure the patient has appropriate pre-testing instructions, and manage patient expectations about timing of results availability.

Combination of shear wave elastography and Ki-67 index as a novel predictive modality for the pathological response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy in patients with invasive breast cancer

PURPOSE

This study evaluated shear wave elastography (SWE) and SWE combined with the Ki-67 index as novel predictive modalities for the pathological response of invasive breast cancer to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC).

METHODS

The prospective study recruited 66 eligible patients from July 2014 to November 2015. Tumour stiffness, which corresponds with tumour progression and invasiveness, was assessed by quantitative SWE 1 d before biopsy (time point t0, elasticity E0), 1 d before next NAC cycle (t1-t5, E1-E5), and 1 d before surgery (t6, E6). The relative changes in SWE parameters after the first and second NAC cycles were considered as the variables [ΔE (t1), ΔE (t2)]. The pathological response was classified according to the residual cancer burden (RCB) protocol. Correlations between RCB scores and variables were evaluated. The predictive diagnostic performances of SWE parameters, Ki-67 index, and the predictive RCB (predRCB) score determined by a linear regression model were compared.

RESULTS

Some immunohistochemical and molecular factors and SWE parameters were significantly different among the three RCB groups. The ΔE_mean (t2) and Ki-67 had significantly better diagnostic performance than other parameters regarding predicting the pathological response (the RCB-I response and RCB-III resistance). However, the correlation between ΔE_mean (t2) and Ki-67 index was significantly weaker as a diagnostic predictor (r = 0.29). We generated a new predictive modality, predRCB, which is a multivariable linear regression model that combines ΔE_mean (t2) and the Ki-67 index. The predRCB modality showed better diagnostic performance than SWE parameters and Ki-67 index alone.

CONCLUSION

Our findings highlight the potential utility for adding the Ki-67 index to the SWE results, which may improve the predictive power of SWE and facilitate personalising the treatment regimens of patients with breast cancer. These results should be validated in the future by performing a multicentre prospective study with a larger cohort.

Early Evaluation of Relative Changes in Tumor Stiffness by Shear Wave Elastography Predicts the Response to Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy in Patients With Breast Cancer

OBJECTIVES

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy plays an important role in comprehensive therapy for breast cancer, but response prediction is imperfect. Shear wave elastography (SWE) is a novel technique that can quantitatively evaluate tissue stiffness. In this study, we sought to investigate the application value of SWE for early prediction of the response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy in patients with breast cancer.

METHODS

We prospectively evaluated tumor stiffness in 62 patients with breast cancer using SWE, which was performed at baseline and after the second cycle of neoadjuvant chemotherapy. After chemotherapy, all of the patients underwent surgery. We investigated the correlations between the relative changes in tumor stiffness (Δ stiffness) after 2 cycles of chemotherapy and the pathologic response to the therapy.

RESULTS

Compared with baseline values, tumor stiffness after 2 cycles of neoadjuvant chemotherapy was significantly decreased in responders (P < .001) but not in nonresponders (P = .172). The Δstiffness was significantly higher in responders (-42.194%) than in nonresponders (-23.593%; P = .001). As determined at either the baseline or after the second cycle of chemotherapy, tumor stiffness was significantly lower in responders than in nonresponders (P = .033 and .009, respectively). The Δ stiffness threshold for distinguishing between responders and nonresponders was -36.1% (72.92% sensitivity and 85.71% specificity). Furthermore, correlating Δ stiffness with clinical and pathologic characteristics, we found that estrogen and progesterone receptor expression showed statistically significant correlations with Δ stiffness (estrogen receptor, P = .008; progesterone receptor, P = .023).

CONCLUSIONS

Early evaluation of relative changes in tumor stiffness using SWE could effectively predict the response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy in patients with breast cancer and might indicate better therapeutic strategies on a timelier basis.

Breast Cancer: Influence of Taxanes on Response Assessment with Dynamic Contrast-enhanced MR Imaging

PURPOSE

To prospectively investigate the influence of taxane-containing neoadjuvant chemotherapy (T-NACT) versus non-taxane-containing NACT (NT-NACT) on the contrast material enhancement of breast cancers, benign enhancing lesions (BELs), and background parenchymal enhancement (BPE) at dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance (MR) imaging.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This institutional review board-approved study was performed in 62 patients with invasive breast cancer who underwent multiagent NACT with (n = 49) or without (n = 13) taxanes between 2008 and 2011. Written informed consent was obtained. Patients underwent dynamic contrast-enhanced MR imaging according to a standardized protocol before and 2 weeks after completing NACT. The percentage reduction of enhancement of breast cancers, BELs, and BPEs was calculated for patients undergoing NT-NACT versus those undergoing T-NACT. Final surgical pathologic results served as standard of reference. Changes in mean enhancement of breast cancers, BELs, and BPEs between the regimens were compared by using the Student t test for unpaired samples; for intraindividual comparison, the Student t test for paired samples was used.

RESULTS

Similar rates of complete pathologic response were observed after T-NACT and NT-NACT (28 [57.2%] of 49 vs eight [61.5%] of 13). T-NACT was associated with an almost complete suppression of enhancement in not only breast cancers but also BELs and BPE in the same patients, with an average reduction of enhancement of -89.9% ± 9.3, -90.2% ± 11.8, and -91.2% ± 7.5, respectively. After T-NACT, cancers with partial (n = 21) or complete (n = 28) pathologic response exhibited a similar reduction of enhancement (-81.8% ± 17.5 vs -93.9% ± 2.3; P = .22). The reduction of enhancement of cancers after NT-NACT was significantly less pronounced than that after T-NACT (-41.1% ± 22.8 vs 88.1% ± 13.9; P < .0001), and effects on enhancement of BELs and BPE were significantly less pronounced compared with effects on enhancement of cancers in the same women (P < .0001). MR imaging led to an overestimation of response (yielded false-negative results for residual disease) in 66.7% (14 of 21) of patients after T-NACT, versus in 20% (one of five) of patients after NT-NACT.

CONCLUSION

The reduction of enhancement observed in breast cancers after T-NACT is, in part, unrelated to their oncologic response. MR imaging-detectable effects of taxanes represent a combination of specific antimitotic and nonspecific antiangiogenic effects. This impacts the accuracy with which dynamic contrast-enhanced MR imaging helps predict complete pathologic response to T-NACT. (©) RSNA, 2015 Online supplemental material is available for this article.

18F-FDG PET/CT to Predict Response to Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy and Prognosis in Inflammatory Breast Cancer

The aim of this prospective study was to assess the predictive value of (18)F-FDG PET/CT imaging for pathologic response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) and outcome in inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) patients.

METHODS

Twenty-three consecutive patients (51 y ± 12.7) with newly diagnosed IBC, assessed by PET/CT at baseline (PET1), after the third course of NACT (PET2), and before surgery (PET3), were included. The patients were divided into 2 groups according to pathologic response as assessed by the Sataloff classification: pathologic complete response for complete responders (stage TA and NA or NB) and non-pathologic complete response for noncomplete responders (not stage A for tumor or not stage NA or NB for lymph nodes). In addition to maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) measurements, a global breast metabolic tumor volume (MTV) was delineated using a semiautomatic segmentation method. Changes in SUVmax and MTV between PET1 and PET2 (ΔSUV1-2; ΔMTV1-2) and PET1 and PET3 (ΔSUV1-3; ΔMTV1-3) were measured.

RESULTS

Mean SUVmax on PET1, PET2, and PET3 did not statistically differ between the 2 pathologic response groups. On receiver-operating-characteristic analysis, a 72% cutoff for ΔSUV1-3 provided the best performance to predict residual disease, with sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of 61%, 80%, and 65%, respectively. On univariate analysis, the 72% cutoff for ΔSUV1-3 was the best predictor of distant metastasis-free survival (P = 0.05). On multivariate analysis, the 72% cutoff for ΔSUV1-3 was an independent predictor of distant metastasis-free survival (P = 0.01).

CONCLUSION

Our results emphasize the good predictive value of change in SUVmax between baseline and before surgery to assess pathologic response and survival in IBC patients undergoing NACT.

Prediction of macrometastasis in axillary lymph nodes of patients with invasive breast cancer and the utility of the SUV lymph node/tumor ratio using FDG-PET/CT

Background

Axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) is important for improving the prognosis of patients with node-positive breast cancer. However, ALND can be avoided in select micrometastatic cases, preventing complications such as lymphedema or paresthesia of the upper limb. To appropriately omit ALND from treatment, evaluation of the axillary tumor burden is critical. The present study evaluated a method for preoperative quantification of axillary lymph node metastasis using positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT).

Methods

The records of breast cancer patients who received radical surgery at the Gifu University Hospital (Gifu, Japan) between 2009 and 2014 were reviewed. The axillary lymph nodes were preoperatively evaluated by PET/CT. Lymph nodes were dissected by sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) or ALND and were histologically diagnosed by experienced pathologists. The maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) was measured in both the axillary lymph node (SUV-LN) and primary tumor (SUV-T). The SUV-LN/T ratio (NT ratio) was calculated by dividing the SUV-LN by the SUV-T, and the efficacies of the NT ratio and SUV-LN were compared using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. The diagnostic performance was also compared between the techniques with the McNemar test.

Results

A total of 171 operable invasive breast cancer patients were enrolled, comprising 69 node-positive patients (macrometastasis (Mac): n = 55; micrometastasis (Mic): n = 14) and 102 node-negative patients (Neg). The NT ratio for node-positive patients was significantly higher than in node-negative patients (0.5 vs. 0.316, respectively, P = 0.041). The NT ratio for Mac patients (0.571) was significantly higher than in Mic (0.227) and Neg (0.316) patients (P <0.01 and P = 0.021, respectively). The areas under the curves (AUCs) by ROC analysis for the NT ratio and SUV-LN were 0.647 and 0.811, respectively (P <0.01). In patients with an SUV-T ≥2.5, the modified AUCs for the NT ratio and SUV-LV were 0.757 and 0.797 (not significant).

Conclusion

The NT ratio and SUV-LN are significantly higher in patients with axillary macrometastasis than in those with micrometastasis or no metastasis. The NT ratio and SUV-LN can help quantify axillary lymph node metastasis and may assist in macrometastasis identification, particularly in patients with an SUV-T ≥2.5.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12957-014-0424-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Correlation of standardized uptake value and apparent diffusion coefficient in integrated whole-body PET/MRI of primary and recurrent cervical cancer

Background

To evaluate a potential correlation of the maximum standard uptake value (SUV_max) and the minimum apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC_min) in primary and recurrent cervical cancer based on integrated PET/MRI examinations.

Methods

19 consecutive patients (mean age 51.6 years; range 30–72 years) with histopathologically confirmed primary cervical cancer (n = 9) or suspected tumor recurrence (n = 10) were prospectively enrolled for an integrated PET/MRI examination. Two radiologists performed a consensus reading in random order, using a dedicated post-processing software. Polygonal regions of interest (ROI) covering the entire tumor lesions were drawn into PET/MR images to assess SUV_max and into ADC parameter maps to determine ADC_min values. Pearson’s correlation coefficients were calculated to assess a potential correlation between the mean values of ADC_min and SUV_max.

Results

In 15 out of 19 patients cervical cancer lesions (n = 12) or lymph node metastases (n = 42) were detected. Mean SUV_max (12.5±6.5) and ADC_min (644.5±179.7×10⁻⁵ mm²/s) values for all assessed tumor lesions showed a significant but weak inverse correlation (R = −0.342, p<0.05). When subdivided in primary and recurrent tumors, primary tumors and associated primary lymph node metastases revealed a significant and strong inverse correlation between SUV_max and ADC_min (R = −0.692, p<0.001), whereas recurrent cancer lesions did not show a significant correlation.

Conclusions

These initial results of this emerging hybrid imaging technique demonstrate the high diagnostic potential of simultaneous PET/MR imaging for the assessment of functional biomarkers, revealing a significant and strong correlation of tumor metabolism and higher cellularity in cervical cancer lesions.

Advance of molecular imaging technology and targeted imaging agent in imaging and therapy

Molecular imaging is an emerging field that integrates advanced imaging technology with cellular and molecular biology. It can realize noninvasive and real time visualization, measurement of physiological or pathological process in the living organism at the cellular and molecular level, providing an effective method of information acquiring for diagnosis, therapy, and drug development and evaluating treatment of efficacy. Molecular imaging requires high resolution and high sensitive instruments and specific imaging agents that link the imaging signal with molecular event. Recently, the application of new emerging chemical technology and nanotechnology has stimulated the development of imaging agents. Nanoparticles modified with small molecule, peptide, antibody, and aptamer have been extensively applied for preclinical studies. Therapeutic drug or gene is incorporated into nanoparticles to construct multifunctional imaging agents which allow for theranostic applications. In this review, we will discuss the characteristics of molecular imaging, the novel imaging agent including targeted imaging agent and multifunctional imaging agent, as well as cite some examples of their application in molecular imaging and therapy.