Dynamic 11C-Methionine PET-CT: Prognostic Factors for Disease Progression and Survival in Patients with Suspected Glioma Recurrence

Simple Summary Recurrence after initial treatments is an expected event in glioma patients, particularly for high-grade glioma, with a median progression-free survival of 8-11 weeks. The prognostic evaluation of disease is a crucial step in the planning of therapeutic strategies, in both the primary and recurrence stages of disease. The aim of our retrospective study was to assess the prognostic value of C-11-methionine PET-CT dynamic and semiquantitative parameters in patients with suspected glioma recurrence at MR, in terms of progression-free survival and overall survival. In a population of sixty-seven consecutive patients, both static and kinetic analyses provided parameters (i.e., tumour-to-background ratio and SUVmax associated with time-to-peak, respectively) able to predict both progression-free and overall survival in the whole population and in the high-grade glioma subgroup of patients. Dynamic C-11-methionine PET-CT can be a useful diagnostic tool, in patients with suspicion of glioma recurrence, able to produce significant prognostic indices. Purpose: The prognostic evaluation of glioma recurrence patients is important in the therapeutic management. We investigated the prognostic value of C-11-methionine PET-CT (MET-PET) dynamic and semiquantitative parameters in patients with suspected glioma recurrence. Methods: Sixty-seven consecutive patients who underwent MET-PET for suspected glioma recurrence at MR were retrospectively included. Twenty-one patients underwent static MET-PET; 46/67 underwent dynamic MET-PET. In all patients, SUVmax, SUVmean and tumour-to-background ratio (T/B) were calculated. From dynamic acquisition, the shape and slope of time-activity curves, time-to-peak and its SUVmax (SUVmax(TTP)) were extrapolated. The prognostic value of PET parameters on progression-free (PFS) and overall survival (OS) was evaluated using Kaplan-Meier survival estimates and Cox regression. Results: The overall median follow-up was 19 months from MET-PET. Recurrence patients (38/67) had higher SUVmax (p = 0.001), SUVmean (p = 0.002) and T/B (p < 0.001); deceased patients (16/67) showed higher SUVmax (p = 0.03), SUVmean (p = 0.03) and T/B (p = 0.006). All static parameters were associated with PFS (all p < 0.001); T/B was associated with OS (p = 0.031). Regarding kinetic analyses, recurrence (27/46) and deceased (14/46) patients had higher SUVmax(TTP) (p = 0.02, p = 0.01, respectively). SUVmax(TTP) was the only dynamic parameter associated with PFS (p = 0.02) and OS (p = 0.006). At univariate analysis, SUVmax, SUVmean, T/B and SUVmax(TTP) were predictive for PFS (all p < 0.05); SUVmax(TTP) was predictive for OS (p = 0.02). At multivariate analysis, SUVmax(TTP) remained significant for PFS (p = 0.03). Conclusion: Semiquantitative parameters and SUVmax(TTP) were associated with clinical outcomes in patients with suspected glioma recurrence. Dynamic PET-CT acquisition, with static and kinetic parameters, can be a valuable non-invasive prognostic marker, identifying patients with worse prognosis who require personalised therapy.

Automated summary

The prognostic evaluation of glioma recurrence patients is crucial for therapeutic management. Semiquantitative parameters and SUVmax(TTP) were found to be associated with clinical outcomes in patients with suspected glioma recurrence. Dynamic PET-CT acquisition, with static and kinetic parameters, can serve as a non-invasive prognostic marker, identifying patients who may require personalized therapy.