Associations between dynamic-contrast enhanced MRI and tumor infiltrating lymphocytes and tumor-stroma ratio in head and neck squamous cell cancer

OBJECTIVES: The present study used dynamic-contrast enhanced MRI (DCE-MRI) to elucidate possible associations with tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL), stroma ratio and vimentin expression in head and neck squamous cell cancer (HNSCC). METHODS: Overall, 26 patients with primary HNSCC of different localizations were involved in the study. DCE-MRI was obtained on a 3 T MRI and analyzed with a whole lesion measurement using a histogram approach. TIL- and vimentin-expression was calculated on bioptic samples before any form of treatment. P16 staining was used to define HPV-status. RESULTS: Tumor-stroma ratio correlated with entropy derived from K(trans) (r = − 0.52, p = 0.0071) and with kurtosis derived from V(e) (r = − 0.53, p = 0.0058). Several V(e) derived parameters correlated with expression of TIL within the stroma compartment. TIL within the tumor compartment correlated with entropy derived from K(trans) (r = 0.39, p = 0.047), p90 derived from V(e) (r = 0.41, p = 0.036) and skewness derived from V(e) (r = 0.41, p = 0.037). Furthermore, these associations were different between HPV positive and negative tumors. CONCLUSIONS: DCE-MRI might be able to reflect tumor compartments and TIL expression in HNSCC. The most promising parameters were values derived from K(trans) and V(e).