Miriam M van Heeswijk1,2,3, Doenja M J Lambregts2, Walter M Palm3, Babs M F Hendriks3, Monique Maas2,3, Geerard L Beets1,4, Regina G H Beets-Tan1,2. 1. 1 GROW School for Oncology and Developmental Biology, Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht, The Netherlands. 2. 2 Department of Radiology, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, PO Box 90203, 1006 BE Amsterdam, The Netherlands. 3. 3 Department of Radiology, Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht, The Netherlands. 4. 4 Department of Surgery, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: When considering organ preservation in patients with rectal cancer with good tumor response, assessment of a node-negative status after chemoradiation therapy (CRT) is important. DWI is a very sensitive technique to detect nodes. The study aim was to test the hypothesis that the absence of nodes at DWI after CRT is concordant with a ypN0 status. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective study was performed of 90 patients with rectal cancer treated with CRT followed by restaging MRI at 1.5 T, including DWI (highest b value, 1000 s/mm2). Two independent readers counted the number of nodes visible in the mesorectal compartment on DW images obtained after CRT. The number of nodes on DWI (0 vs ≥ 1) was compared with the number of metastatic nodes at histopathology or long-term clinical follow-up (yN0 vs yN-positive status). RESULTS: Seventy-one patients had a yN0 status, and 19 had a yN-positive status. For 10 patients, no nodes were observed at DWI, which was concordant with a yN0 status in 100% of cases. In the other 61 patients with a yN0 status, the median number of nodes detected at DWI was three (range, 1-17 nodes). To differentiate between yN0 and yN-positive status, sensitivity was 100%, specificity was 14%, the positive predictive value was 24%, and the negative predictive value was 100%. CONCLUSION: Although the absence of nodes at DWI is not a frequent finding, it appears to be a reliable predictor of yN0 status after CRT in patients with rectal cancer. DWI may thus be a helpful adjunct in assessing response after CRT and may help select patients for organ-saving treatment.
OBJECTIVE: When considering organ preservation in patients with rectal cancer with good tumor response, assessment of a node-negative status after chemoradiation therapy (CRT) is important. DWI is a very sensitive technique to detect nodes. The study aim was to test the hypothesis that the absence of nodes at DWI after CRT is concordant with a ypN0 status. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective study was performed of 90 patients with rectal cancer treated with CRT followed by restaging MRI at 1.5 T, including DWI (highest b value, 1000 s/mm2). Two independent readers counted the number of nodes visible in the mesorectal compartment on DW images obtained after CRT. The number of nodes on DWI (0 vs ≥ 1) was compared with the number of metastatic nodes at histopathology or long-term clinical follow-up (yN0 vs yN-positive status). RESULTS: Seventy-one patients had a yN0 status, and 19 had a yN-positive status. For 10 patients, no nodes were observed at DWI, which was concordant with a yN0 status in 100% of cases. In the other 61 patients with a yN0 status, the median number of nodes detected at DWI was three (range, 1-17 nodes). To differentiate between yN0 and yN-positive status, sensitivity was 100%, specificity was 14%, the positive predictive value was 24%, and the negative predictive value was 100%. CONCLUSION: Although the absence of nodes at DWI is not a frequent finding, it appears to be a reliable predictor of yN0 status after CRT in patients with rectal cancer. DWI may thus be a helpful adjunct in assessing response after CRT and may help select patients for organ-saving treatment.
Authors: Seth I Felder; Sebastian Feuerlein; Arthur Parsee; Iman Imanirad; Julian Sanchez; Sophie Dessureault; Richard Kim; Sarah Hoffe; Jessica Frakes; James Costello Journal: Abdom Radiol (NY) Date: 2020-10-28
Authors: Michael K Turgeon; Adriana C Gamboa; Jessica M Keilson; Jeffrey Maniko; Lillias Maguire; Katherine Hrebinko; Jennifer Holder-Murray; Jason T Wiseman; Sherif Abdel-Misih; Saif Hamdan; Alexander T Hawkins; Philip Bauer; Matthew Silviera; Shishir K Maithel; Glen C Balch Journal: J Surg Oncol Date: 2021-07-16 Impact factor: 2.885