(18)F-FDG-PET/CT-measured parameters as potential predictors of residual disease after neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy in patients with esophageal carcinoma

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the maximum and mean standardized uptake values, together with the metabolic tumor value and the total lesion glycolysis, at the primary tumor site, as determined by (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron-emission tomography/computed tomography ((18)F-FDG-PET/CT), performed before and after neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (nCRT), as predictors of residual disease (RD) in patients with esophageal cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The standardized uptake values and the volumetric parameters (metabolic tumor value and total lesion glycolysis) were determined by (18)F-FDG-PET/CT to identify RD in 39 patients before and after nCRT for esophageal carcinoma. We used receiver operating characteristic curves to analyze the diagnostic performance of (18)F-FDG-PET/CT parameters in the definition of RD. The standard of reference was histopathological analysis of the surgical specimen. RESULTS: Eighteen patients (46%) presented RD after nCRT. Statistically significant areas under the curve (approximately 0.72) for predicting RD were obtained for all four of the variables evaluated after nCRT. Considering the presence of visually detectable uptake (higher than the background level) at the primary tumor site after nCRT as a positive result, we achieved a sensitivity of 94% and a specificity of 48% for the detection of RD. CONCLUSION: The use of (18)F-FDG-PET/CT can facilitate the detection of RD after nCRT in patients with esophageal cancer.