Abstract
OBJECTIVES
Evaluation of post-treatment glioma burden remains a significant challenge in children, teenagers and young adults (TYA). The aim of this study was to evaluate the utility of ChoPET/MRI for evaluation of suspected disease progression in childhood and TYA gliomas.
METHODS
27 patients (mean age 14 years, range 6–21 years) with suspected glioma disease progression were evaluated with ChoPET/MRI (n=59). Relative cerebral blood volume (rCBV), apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) and maximum standardised uptake values (SUVmax) in enhancing (enh) and non-enhancing (ne) tumour and normal-appearing white matter (wm) were calculated (rCBVenh, rCBVne, rCBVwm, ADCenh, ADCne, ADCwm, SUVenh, SUVne, SUVwm). 2 blinded radiologists scored tumour probability (1 = unlikely; 5 = definitely). Sensitivity and specificity calculated with gold standard histopathology or clinical follow-up.
RESULTS
Accuracy for the detection of residual/recurrent tumour on conventional MRI was 96.3% (91.7% ≤14 years, 100% ≥15 years) and ChoPET was 73.1% (66.7% ≤14 years, 80.0% ≥15 years). Lack of agreement was observed in 9/27 patients, with ChoPET superior to MRI in 1 case of a posterior fossa tumour. Tumour component analysis demonstrated significantly higher SUVenh and SUVne than SUVwm (SUVenh: p<0.001; SUVne: p=0.004, equivalent to results were observed for ADV and rCBV (ADCenh, ADCne: p<0.001 vs ADCwm; rCBVenh, rCBVne: p<0.001 vs rCBVwm).
CONCLUSIONS
MRI is more sensitive than ChoPET in the evaluation of suspected disease progression in TYA gliomas. However, quanititative ChoPET is able to detect enhancing and non-enhancing tumour and may be helpful in evaluating posterior fossa disease where MRI is equivocal.
An analysis of factors determining the requirement of ventriculoperitoneal shunt surgery in the children suffering from posterior fossa tumour: a single centre retrospective review
