title: Correlation of mucositis during head and neck radiotherapy with computed tomography perfusion imaging of the oropharyngeal mucosa.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objective of this study was to correlate changes in computed tomography perfusion (CTP) parameters in the oropharyngeal mucosa following start of radiotherapy (RT) with acute mucositis in head and neck cancer patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifteen patients were prospectively evaluated with serial CTP imaging. Computed tomography perfusion studies were obtained before RT; at weeks 2, 4, and 6 during RT; and 6 weeks after completion of RT.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At week 2 during RT, mean transition time increased to 13.9% and 261.8% in patients with and without mucositis, respectively (P = 0.024). At week 6 of RT, patients with grade 3 mucositis had a 325.4% increase in blood flow compared with a 58.3% increase in patients with grade 0-2 mucositis (P = 0.039). Mean transition time decreased by 29.9% and increased by 187.4% in patients with grade 3 and grade 0-2 mucositis, respectively (P = 0.025).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Mean transition time and blood flow changes in the oropharyngeal mucosa correlated with the incidence and severity of RT-related mucositis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Boston Medical Center, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02118, USA.
authors.forename: Naoko
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Saito
authors.forename: Minh Tam
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Truong
authors.forename: Muhammad M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Qureshi
authors.forename: Richard J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Jimmy W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Al
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ozonoff
authors.forename: Osamu
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Sakai
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009959:Oropharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D055420:Perfusion Imaging / Q000379:methods; D011379:Prognosis; D011832:Radiation Injuries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology*; D020266:Radiotherapy, Conformal / Q000009:adverse effects*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D013280:Stomatitis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods; D016896:Treatment Outcome