Amide Proton Transfer-weighted MRI in predicting pathological complete response of rectal adenocarcinoma
Key Points
A lower APTw signal intensity in rectal cancer lesions correlates with a higher likelihood of achieving pathological complete response.
The study demonstrated a greater reduction in APTw signal intensity in patients achieving pCR after treatment compared to those who did not.
Using ROC curves helped to evaluate the predictive potential of APTw MRI for pathological complete response outcomes.
APTw MRI could provide valuable insights for treatment assessment, aiding in organ preservation for rectal cancer patients.
Abstract
Motivation: Accurate assessment of pathological complete response (pCR) after neoadjuvant therapy may help to preserve patient organs and improve quality of life. Goal(s): This study investigated the feasibility of amide proton transfer-weighted (APTw) MR imaging in the assessment of pCR in patients with rectal cancer (RC). Approach: Pre-treatment and post-treatment APTw MRI were analyzed, measuring APTw SI of lesion to evaluate pCR predictive potential via ROC curves. Results: We found that rectal cancer lesions in the pCR group had a lower APTw signal intensity (SI) and a greater reduction in APTw SI after treatment compared with before treatment than those in the non-pCR group. Impact: APTw MRI may help identify patients with a good response.