Predictive value of diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging during chemoradiotherapy for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma

Abstract

DWI during CRT for HNC allows more accurate response prediction than anatomical imaging, correlating significantly with 2-year LRC.

Diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging for evaluation of salivary gland function in head and neck cancer patients treated with intensity-modulated radiotherapy

“…In addition to the increasing understanding of its capability to depict physiological and functional changes in salivary glands after RT, it has also proven to be a promising tool for tissue characterization, nodal staging and early response evaluation in this patient group [25][26][27][28][29].…”

Intravoxel incoherent motion diffusion‐weighted MRI during chemoradiation therapy to characterize and monitor treatment response in human papillomavirus head and neck squamous cell carcinoma

“…Vandecaveye et al14 reported that ΔADC in primary tumors and nodal metastases, 2 and 4 weeks after the start of chemo‐radiation therapy, were significantly lower in lesions with post‐TX recurrence than in lesions with CR for primary tumors, relative to nodal metastases. Also, King et al13 reported a significant correlation between local failure and post‐TX ADC, but not pre‐ or intra‐TX ADC values.…”

“…Several reports have suggested that the quantitative imaging metric apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC), derived from DW‐MRI data using a minimum of two b (b = diffusion‐weighted gradient factor) values, has shown promise in clinical applications ranging from tumor characterization to the evaluation of treatment response 10, 11, 12. It has been reported that hypercellular tissue is characterized by low ADC, whereas hypocellular tissue with necrosis, or apoptosis, is characterized by high ADC; the change in ADC (ΔADC) before, during, or after chemoradiation therapy in HNSCC is a surrogate biomarker of treatment response 13, 14…”

Trends in head and neck radiology

“…King et al [3] and Vandecaveye et al [4] stressed the necessity of an early identification of non-responders to radiotherapy or chemoradiotherapy for modification or change of treatment regimens in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. In this early post-treatment phase previous radiological assessment has been described as suboptimal: Treatmentinduced inflammation may hamper the accuracy of PET-CT. Volumetric analysis with anatomical imaging (CT, MRI) has shown variable results.…”

“…Among others this principle is used for the prediction and monitoring of treatment response in malignancies undergoing a non-surgical therapy. King et al [3] and Vandecaveye et al [4] analysed whether a change in ADC could be an early diagnostic biomarker to solve the problematic evaluation of residual tissue in the tumour and lymph node bed. Vandecaveye et al [4] examined 30 patients before, and at the 2nd and 4th week during radiochemotherapy by anatomical MRI and DWI and studied changes in tumour volume and ADC.…”