title: Whole-body diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging at 3 Tesla for early assessment of treatment response in non-Hodgkin lymphoma: a pilot study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate 3 Tesla (T) whole-body diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (WB DWI) for early treatment assessment in aggressive non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL).
  
  
  METHODS
  Fourteen patients with NHL treated with standard chemotherapy underwent 3-T WB DWI before and 2 and 4 weeks during treatment, using b-values of 0-1000 s/mm(2) from which the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) was calculated. Patient follow-up (average 20.3 months, range 15-23 months) was the reference standard. Volume and ADC changes between baseline and 2 weeks (Vratio2w, ADCratio2w) and 4 weeks (Vratio4w, ADCratio4w) of responding and non-responding lesions (lymph node and organ lesions) were compared using Mann-Whitney U tests. The per patient values of VratioN and ADCratioN to predict progression-free survival were determined with a log-rank test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eight patients showed complete remission and 6 showed tumour progression. The ADCratio2w and ADCratio4w differed significantly in lesions showing tumour progression versus complete remission (ADCratio2w = 4 ± 21% versus 119 ± 68%; ADCratio4w = 18 ± 61% versus 155 ± 78%; both P < 0.0001); the Vratio2w and Vratio4w did not (P > 0.05). Per body region, the ADCratio2w showed a negative predictive value of 100% and positive predictive value of 86%. Per patient, the ADCratio2w and ADCratio4w correlated significantly with progression-free survival (P < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  3-T WB DWI with ADC quantification may enable early treatment assessment of aggressive NHL.
authors: Department of Radiology, University Hospitals Leuven, Belgium.
authors: Katja
authors: K
authors: De Paepe
authors: Charlotte
authors: C
authors: Bevernage
authors: Frederik
authors: F
authors: De Keyzer
authors: Pascal
authors: P
authors: Wolter
authors: Olivier
authors: O
authors: Gheysens
authors: Ann
authors: A
authors: Janssens
authors: Raymond
authors: R
authors: Oyen
authors: Gregor
authors: G
authors: Verhoef
authors: Vincent
authors: V
authors: Vandecaveye
mesh_terms: D038524:Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008228:Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D064847:Multimodal Imaging; D010865:Pilot Projects; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D051598:Whole Body Imaging / Q000379:methods*