Prediction of the treatment outcome using intravoxel incoherent motion and diffusional kurtosis imaging in nasal or sinonasal squamous cell carcinoma patients

To evaluate the diagnostic value of intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) and diffusional kurtosis imaging (DKI) parameters in nasal or sinonasal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) patients to determine local control/failure. Twenty-eight patients were evaluated. MR acquisition used single-shot spin-echo EPI with 12 b-values. Quantitative parameters (mean value, 25th, 50th and 75th percentiles) of IVIM (perfusion fraction f, pseudo-diffusion coefficient D*, and true-diffusion coefficient D), DKI (kurtosis value K, kurtosis corrected diffusion coefficient D-k) and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) were calculated. Parameter values at both the pretreatment and early-treatment period, and the percentage change between these two periods were obtained. Multivariate logistic regression analysis: the percentage changes of D (mean, 25th, 50th, 75th), K (mean, 50th, 75th), Dk (mean, 25th, 50th), and ADC (mean, 25th, 50th) were predictors of local control. ROC curve analysis: the parameter with the highest accuracy = the percentage change of D value with the histogram 25th percentile (0.93 diagnostic accuracy). Multivariate Cox regression analyses: the percentage changes of D (mean, 25th, 50th), K (mean, 50th, 75th), Dk (mean, 25th, 50th) and ADC (mean, 25th, 50th) are predictors. IVIM and DKI parameters, especially the D-value's histogram 25th percentile, are useful for predicting local control. Noninvasive assessment of treatment outcome in SCC patients was achieved using IVIM/DKI. Several IVIM and DKI parameters can predict the local control. Especially, the D-value's histogram 25th percentile has high diagnostic accuracy.