Prognostic significance of imaging features of peritumoral adipose tissue in FDG PET/CT of patients with colorectal cancer

Abstract

Purpose: This study investigated the relationship of imaging features of primary tumor and peritumoral VAT on PET/CT with histopathological findings of peritumoral VAT and recurrence-free survival (RFS) in patients with colorectal cancer.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 133 patients diagnosed with colorectal cancer who underwent staging FDG PET/CT and received curative surgery. Histogram-based imaging features of primary tumor and peritumoral VAT were extracted from PET/CT images. Based on histopathological analysis of peritumoral VAT, the degree of CD4, CD8, and CD163 cell infiltration and the expression of matrix metalloproteinase-11 and interleukin 6 (IL-6) were graded. Differences in imaging parameters based on the histopathological results and the relationships between imaging features and RFS were assessed.

Results: Mean CT-attenuation and SUV of peritumoral VAT showed significant positive correlation with CD163 cell infiltration and IL-6 expression of peritumoral VAT. Univariable survival analysis revealed significant correlation between RFS and the mean CT-attenuation, mean SUV, and first-order SUV entropy of peritumoral VAT (p < 0.05). Multivariable analysis indicated that mean SUV and SUV entropy of peritumoral VAT remained significant predictors of RFS after adjustment for age, sex, and T stage (p < 0.05).

Conclusion: FDG uptake of peritumoral VAT was significantly associated with inflammatory response in peritumoral VAT and was an independent predictor of RFS in colorectal cancer patients.

Keywords: Adipose tissue; Colorectal cancer; F-18 fluorodeoxyglucose; Positron emission tomography; Prognosis.