Rate of change in maximum F-FDOPA PET uptake and non-enhancing tumor volume predict malignant transformation and overall survival in low-grade gliomas.

PURPOSE

To examine whether the rate of change in maximum F-FDOPA PET uptake and the rate of change in non-enhancing tumor volume could predict malignant transformation and residual overall survival (OS) in low grade glioma (LGG) patients who received serial F-FDOPA PET and MRI scans.

METHODS

27 LGG patients with ≥ 2 F-FDOPA PET and MRI scans between 2003 and 2016 were included. The rate of change in FLAIR volume (uL/day) and maximum normalized F-FDOPA specific uptake value (nSUV/month), were compared between histological and molecular subtypes. General linear models (GLMs) were used to integrate clinical information with MR-PET measurements to predict malignant transformation. Cox univariate and multivariable regression analyses were performed to identify imaging and clinical risk factors related to OS.

RESULTS

A GLM using patient age, treatment, the rate of change in FLAIR and F-FDOPA nSUV could predict malignant transformation with > 67% sensitivity and specificity (AUC = 0.7556, P = 0.0248). A significant association was observed between OS and continuous rates of change in PET uptake (HR = 1.0212, P = 0.0034). Cox multivariable analysis confirmed that continuous measures of the rate of change in PET uptake was an independent predictor of OS (HR = 1.0242, P = 0.0033); however, stratification of patients based on increasing or decreasing rate of change in FLAIR (HR = 2.220, P = 0.025), PET uptake (HR = 2.148, P = 0.0311), or both FLAIR and PET (HR = 2.354, P = 0.0135) predicted OS.

CONCLUSIONS

The change in maximum normalized F-FDOPA PET uptake, with or without clinical information and rate of change in tumor volume, may be useful for predicting the risk of malignant transformation and estimating residual survival in patients with LGG.