Early radiological assessment of locally advanced pancreatic cancer treated with electrochemotherapy

Abstract

AIM: To report early imaging assessment of ablated area post electrochemotherapy (ECT) in patients with locally advanced pancreatic cancer (LAPC). METHODS: ECT was performed in 19 LAPC patients enrolled in an approved ongoing clinical phase I/II study. Before and after ECT, 18 patients underwent computed tomography (CT) scan, 11 patients underwent morphological and functional magnetic resonance (MR) scan (dynamic contrast enhanced-MRI) calculating wash-in slope (WIS) and wash-out slope (WOS); diffusion weighted imaging calculating pseudo-diffusivity (Dp), perfusion fraction (fp) and tissue diffusivity (Dt); 10 patients underwent positron emission tomography (PET). Response evaluation criteria in solid tumour (RECIST) on MR and CT were used to assess tumour therapy response. Choi on CT, PET response criteria in solid tumors (PERCIST) on PET and functional parameters on MR were used to evaluate treatment response. RESULTS: < 0.05) using Spearman correlation coefficient. CONCLUSION: Perfusion and diffusion MR derived parameters, Choi, PERCIST criteria are more performant than morphological MR and CT criteria to assess ECT treatment response.