Advantages of 99mTc-3PRGD2 SPECT over CT in the preoperative assessment of lymph node metastasis in patients with esophageal cancer

Ann Nucl Med. 2019 Jan;33(1):39-46. doi: 10.1007/s12149-018-1300-x. Epub 2018 Sep 14.

Abstract

Background: Our study was designed to compare the diagnostic efficacies of integrated 99mTc-HYNIC-PEG4-E[PEG4-c(RGDfK)]2 (99mTc-3PRGD2) single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) images and computed tomography (CT) images in lymph node metastasis in the patients with esophageal cancer.

Methods: From September 2015 and May 2018, 32 patients with histologically proven primary esophageal carcinoma underwent both 99mTc-3PRGD2 SPECT and CT scans followed by esophagectomy with lymph node dissection. The results of reviewing 99mTc-3PRGD2 SPECT and CT images for the lymph node metastasis were compared in relation with pathologic findings.

Results: During surgery, a total of 168 lymph nodes were dissected in 32 patients, of which 42 node groups in 18 patients were malignant on histologic examination. Preoperative nodal staging was compared with postoperative histopathological staging, The sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of 99mTc-3PRGD2 SPECT for lymph nodes were 80.95%, 86.51%, 85.12%, 66.67%, and 93.16% on per-node basis, respectively; compared with 59.52%, 73.02%, 69.64%, 42.37%, and 84.40% for CT (p = 0.034, 0.008, 0.005, 0.011, and 0.038, respectively). 70.59% (12/17) false-negative interpretations and 50% (17/34) false-positive interpretations on CT were corrected by 99mTc-3PRGD2 SPECT. 37.5% false-negative interpretations on 99mTc-3PRGD2 SPECT were corrected by CT. 11.90% (5/42) positive lymph nodes and 13.49% (17/126) negative nodes at pathology were incorrectly diagnosed both by 99mTc-3PRGD2 SPECT and CT. The accuracy of 99mTc-3PRGD2 SPECT (87.50%, 28/32) was significantly higher than that of CT (62.50, 20/32; p = 0.022) on per-patient basis. 99mTc-3PRGD2 SPECT showed significantly higher sensitivity and accuracy in the neck and upper thoracic regions than CT. For nodal staging, 99mTc-3PRGD2 SPECT was correct in 78.12% (25/32) of the patients, whereas CT was correct in 53.12% (17/32), p = 0.037.

Conclusion: 99mTc-3PRGD2 SPECT is more accurate than CT for preoperative assessment of lymph node metastasis in esophageal cancer and may be helpful in determining the therapeutic plan.

Keywords: 99mTc-3PRGD2; CT; Esophageal cancer; Lymph node; SPECT.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Esophageal Neoplasms / diagnostic imaging*
  • Esophageal Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Esophageal Neoplasms / surgery
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Lymphatic Metastasis
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Neoplasm Staging
  • Organotechnetium Compounds*
  • Peptides, Cyclic*
  • Preoperative Period
  • Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon*
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed*

Substances

  • Organotechnetium Compounds
  • Peptides, Cyclic
  • technetium 99m (HYNIC-3PRGD(2))(tricine)(TPPTS)