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The role of MRI and 18F-FDG PET/CT with respect to evaluation of pathological response in the rectal cancer patients after neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy
Gulhan Guler Avci, Ipek Pinar Aral
Department of Radiation Oncology, Tokat Gaziosmanpasa University, Merkez, Tokat, Turkey
Correspondence Address:
Gulhan Guler Avci,
Department of Radiation Oncology, Tokat Gaziosmanpasa University, Merkez, Tokat
Turkey
 Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None DOI: 10.4103/ijc.IJC_80_20
Background: We aimed to evaluate the role of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography–computed tomography (PET-CT) in determining the correct stage and predicting the pathological response.
Methods: Seventy one patients with pathologic proven rectal adenocarcinoma, clinical stage IIA-IVA, and neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (CRT) were evaluated retrospectively. Radiotherapy was delivered 45–50 Gy in 25 fractions with concomitant oral capecitabine. Pelvic MRI, colonoscopy, and 18F-FDG PET-CT were performed before the neoadjuvant treatment (NAT). After NAT, MRI and PET-CT were performed for re-evaluation.
Results: The median follow-up time was 25 months (range: 3–57 months). Of the 71 patients who underwent NAT, 57 patients underwent surgery. Downstaging was recorded in 48 (84.2%) of 57 patients who underwent surgery. There was no statistically significant difference between both MRI and PET-CT with pathology results in terms of response evaluation. As a result of the comparison of MRI and PET-CT with pathological results; sensitivity and specificity were 91.6% (44/48) and 22.2% (2/9) for MRI, and 100% (47/47) and 12.5% (1/8) for PET-CT, respectively.
Conclusion: PET-CT and MRI are effective in predicting response to NAT and predictive for the pathological response. A more accurate response can be judged when both PET-CT and MRI are executed together in restaging after NAT.
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