Faculty Bibliography

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE:To perform a systematic review and meta-analysis regarding the performance of CT for diagnosis of bowel endometriosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS/METHODS:Pubmed and EMBASE were systematically searched up to March 28, 2019. Diagnostic accuracy studies using CT for diagnosis of bowel endometriosis using laparoscopy followed by histopathology as the reference standard were included. Methodological quality of the included studies was evaluated using Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies-2. Sensitivity and specificity were pooled using hierarchical summary receiver operating modelling. Meta-regression analysis was done to explore heterogeneity. RESULTS: = 92.38% for sensitivity and 89.09% for specificity. Deeks' asymmetry test suggested publication bias (p = 0.04). At meta-regression analysis, history of prior surgery for endometriosis was the only significant factor affecting heterogeneity (p < 0.01). Specifically, studies that included patients with such history demonstrated significantly greater specificity than studies that did not (0.95 [95% CI, 0.91-1.00] vs 0.75 [95% CI, 0.43-1.00]). CONCLUSIONS:CT shows excellent performance in the diagnosis of bowel endometriosis. Due to small number of included studies and publication bias, further studies may be needed to validate these results.

OBJECTIVE. The purpose of this study was to perform a systematic review and meta-analysis regarding CT features of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) rearrangement. MATERIALS AND METHODS. The PubMed and Embase databases were searched up to February 20, 2019. Studies that evaluated CT features of NSCLC with and without ALK rearrangement was included. Methodologic quality was assessed using Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies-2. The association between CT features and ALK rearrangement was pooled in the form of the odds ratio (OR) or the mean difference (MD) using the random-effects model. Heterogeneity was examined using the inconsistency index (I²). Publication bias was examined using funnel plots and Egger tests. RESULTS. Sixteen studies were included, consisting of 3113 patients with NSCLC. The overall prevalence of patients with ALK rearrangement was 17% (528/3113). Compared with NSCLC without ALK rearrangement, on CT images those with ALK rearrangement were more frequently solid (OR = 2.86), central in location (OR = 2.72), and 3 cm or smaller (OR = 0.57); had lower contrast-enhanced CT attenuation (MD = -4.79 HU); more frequently had N2 or N3 disease (OR = 5.63), lymphangitic carcinomatosis (OR = 3.46), pleural effusion (OR = 1.91), or pleural metastasis (OR = 1.81); and less frequently had lung metastasis (OR = 0.66). Heterogeneity varied among CT features (I² = 0-80%). No significant publication bias was seen (p = 0.15). CONCLUSION. NSCLC with ALK rearrangement had several distinctive CT features compared with that without ALK rearrangement. These CT biomarkers may help identify patients likely to have ALK rearrangement.

Accurate tumor detection and establishment of disease extent are important for optimal management of prostate cancer. Disease stage, beginning with identification of the index prostate lesion, followed by primary tumor, lymph node, and distant metastasis evaluation, provide crucial clinical information that not only have prognostic and predictive value, but guide patient management. A wide array of radiological imaging modalities including ultrasound, computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging have been used for the purpose of prostate cancer staging with variable diagnostic performance. Especially, the last years have seen remarkable technological advances in magnetic resonance imaging technology, enabling referring clinicians and radiologists to obtain even more valuable data regarding staging of prostate cancer. Marked improvements have been seen in detection of the index prostate lesion and evaluation of extraprostatic extension while further improvements are still needed in identifying metastatic lymph nodes. Novel approaches such as whole-body MRI are emerging for more accurate and reproducible assessment of bone metastasis. Post-treatment assessment of prostate cancer using radiological imaging is a topic with rapidly changing clinical context and special consideration is needed for the biochemical setting, that is, the relatively high serum prostate-specific antigen levels in studies assessing the value of radiological imaging for post-treatment assessment and emerging therapeutic approaches such as early salvage radiation therapy. The scope of this review is to provide the reader insight into the various ways radiology contribute to staging of prostate cancer in the context of both primary staging and post-treatment assessment. The strengths and limitations of each imaging modality are highlighted as well as topics that warrant future research.

We performed a systematic review and metaanalysis of the performance of ⁶⁸Ga-DOTA-conjugated somatostatin receptor-targeting peptide (⁶⁸Ga-DOTA-SST) PET in the detection of pheochromocytomas and paragangliomas (PPGLs). Methods: PubMed and Embase were searched until May 8, 2018. We included studies that reported the detection rate of ⁶⁸Ga-DOTA-SST PET in patients with PPGLs. Detection rates were pooled using a random-effects model. Subgroup analyses and metaregression were performed to explore the cause of heterogeneity. Results: Thirteen studies were included for qualitative synthesis. Per-lesion detection rates of ⁶⁸Ga-DOTA-SST PET were consistently higher (ranging from 92% to 100%) than other imaging modalities, including ¹⁸F-fluorohydroxyphenylalanine (¹⁸F-FDOPA) PET, ¹⁸F-FDG PET, and ^123/131I-metaiodobenzylguanidine (^123/131I-MIBG) scintigraphy. However, in patients with polycythemia/paraganglioma syndrome, the detection rate of ⁶⁸Ga-DOTA-DOTATATE PET was 35%. Nine studies (215 patients) with no specific inclusion criteria for subtype were quantitatively synthesized. The pooled detection rate was 93% (95% confidence interval [CI], 91%-95%), which was significantly higher than that of ¹⁸F-FDOPA PET (80% [95% CI, 69%-88%]), ¹⁸F-FDG PET (74% [95% CI, 46%-91%]), and ^123/131I-MIBG scan (38% [95% CI, 20%-59%], P < 0.001 for all). A greater prevalence of head and neck paragangliomas was associated with higher detection rates of ⁶⁸Ga-DOTA-SST PET (P = 0.0002). Conclusion:

OBJECTIVE:To directly compare the diagnostic performance of true and oblique axial T2-weighted imaging (T2WI) for assessing parametrial invasion (PMI) in cervical cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS:This retrospective study included 71 women with treatment-naive cervical cancer who underwent MRI that included both oblique and true axial T2WI, followed by radical hysterectomy. Two blinded radiologists (Radiologist 1 and Radiologist 2) independently assessed the presence of PMI on both sequences using a 5-point Likert scale. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was performed, with a subgroup analysis for tumors sized > 2.5 cm and ≤ 2.5 cm in diameter. Inter-reader agreement was assessed with kappa (k) statistics. RESULTS:= 0.086 for Radiologist 2). Agreement between the radiologists was almost perfect for oblique axial T2WI (k = 0.810) and was substantial for true axial T2WI (k = 0.704). CONCLUSION:Oblique axial T2WI potentially provides greater diagnostic performance than true axial T2WI for determining PMI, particularly for tumors > 2.5 cm. The inter-reader agreement was greater with oblique axial T2WI.

OBJECTIVE:F-FDG PET-derived volume-based parameters regarding metabolic tumor volume (MTV) and total lesion glycolysis (TLG) in patients with ovarian cancer. METHODS:Pubmed and EMBASE databases were searched up to February 12, 2018 for studies which evaluated MTV or TLG as a prognostic factor in ovarian cancer with progression-free (PFS) and overall survival (OS) as the endpoints. Hazard ratios (HRs) were meta-analytically pooled using the random-effects model. Multiple subgroup analyses based on clinicopathological and PET variables were performed. RESULTS:Eight studies with 473 patients were included. The pooled HRs of MTV and TLG for PFS were 2.50 (95% CI 1.79-3.48; p < 0.00001) and 2.42 (95% CI 1.61-3.65; p < 0.0001), respectively. Regarding OS, the pooled HRs of MTV and TLG were 8.06 (95% CI 4.32-15.05; p < 0.00001) and 7.23 (95% CI 3.38-15.50; p < 0.00001), respectively. Multiple subgroup analyses consistently showed that MTV and TLG were significant prognostic factors for PFS with pooled HRs ranging from 2.35 to 2.58 and from 1.73 to 3.35, respectively. CONCLUSIONS:F-FDG PET were significant prognostic factors in patients with ovarian cancer. Despite the clinical heterogeneity and difference in methodology between the studies, patients with a high MTV or TLG have a higher risk of disease progression or death.

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE:We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis on the prognostic value of metabolic tumor volume (MTV) and total lesion glycolysis (TLG) derived from pretreatment F-FDG PET/CT in patients with esophageal cancer. METHODS:PubMed and EMBASE databases were searched until April 12, 2018, for studies that evaluated MTV or TLG as prognostic factors in esophageal cancer, with overall survival (OS) and event-free survival serving as the end points. Hazard ratios (HRs) were meta-analytically pooled using a random-effects model. Subgroup analyses based on the clinicopathological and PET variables were performed. RESULTS:In total, 16 studies with 1294 patients were included. The pooled HRs of MTV and TLG for OS were 2.26 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.73-2.96) and 2.23 (95% CI, 1.73-2.87), respectively. Regarding event-free survival, the pooled HRs of MTV and TLG were 2.03 (95% CI, 1.66-2.49) and 2.57 (95% CI, 1.82-3.62), respectively. Metabolic tumor volume was found to be a significant prognostic factor for OS consistently across multiple subgroups classified based on stage, histological subtype, treatment, delineation of volume of interest, and the determination method of cutoff value, with pooled HRs ranging from 1.96 to 2.54. CONCLUSIONS:In patients with esophageal cancer, MTV and TLG derived from pretreatment F-FDG PET are significant prognostic factors. As prognostic biomarkers, volumetric metabolic parameters may bolster the role of F-FDG PET in the management of esophageal cancer.

OBJECTIVE:F-FDG PET) in patients with lung cancer. METHODS:PubMed and EMBASE databases were searched up to March 12, 2018, for original articles involving texture analysis for the prediction of prognosis in patients with lung cancer. Risk of bias in the studies was critically assessed using the QUIPS tool. The results of survival analysis in the included studies were compared. RESULTS:Of the 446 articles retrieved, 17 studies were eligible for inclusion. Our review suggests that the prognostic value of texture parameters in lung cancer remains unproven. Most studies had a moderate to high risk of bias. Texture parameters that described prognosis were not replicated across studies. Conflicting results on hazard ratios were found among the studies. This discrepancy is partly explained by false-positive findings originating from statistical error and variability caused by different methodologies used for image acquisition and processing in the included studies. CONCLUSION/CONCLUSIONS:F-FDG PET in lung cancer. Further studies implementing well-established methodologies and statistical evidence are warranted for proper validation of these promising imaging biomarkers.

OBJECTIVE:We describe a systematic review and meta-analysis of the performance of ¹⁸F-fluorodeoxyglucose (¹⁸F-FDG) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) for detecting metastasis in ovarian cancer. METHODS:MEDLINE and Embase were searched for diagnostic accuracy studies that used ¹⁸F-FDG PET or PET/CT for pre-treatment staging, using surgical findings as the reference standard. Sensitivities and specificities were pooled and plotted in a hierarchic summary receiver operating characteristic plot. Potential causes of heterogeneity were explored through sensitivity analyses. RESULTS:Eight studies with 594 patients were included. The overall pooled sensitivity and specificity for metastasis were 0.72 (95% confidence interval [CI]=0.61-0.81) and 0.93 (95% CI=0.85-0.97), respectively. There was considerable heterogeneity in sensitivity (I²=97.57%) and specificity (I²=96.74%). In sensitivity analyses, studies that used laparotomy as the reference standard showed significantly higher sensitivity and specificity (0.77; 95% CI=0.67-0.87 and 0.96; 95% CI=0.92-0.99, respectively) than those including diagnostic laparoscopy (0.62; 95% CI=0.46-0.77 and 0.84; 95% CI=0.69-0.99, respectively). Higher specificity was shown in studies that confirmed surgical findings by pathologic evaluation (0.95; 95% CI=0.90-0.99) than in a study without pathologic confirmation (0.69; 95% CI=0.24-1.00). Studies with a lower prevalence of the FDG-avid subtype showed higher specificity (0.97; 95% CI=0.94-1.00) than those with a greater prevalence (0.89; 95% CI=0.80-0.97). CONCLUSION/CONCLUSIONS:Pre-treatment ¹⁸F-FDG PET/CT shows moderate sensitivity and high specificity for detecting metastasis in ovarian cancer. With its low false-positive rate, it can help select surgical approaches or alternative treatment options.