Zhou QP, Zhao YH, Gao L. Positron emission tomography and magnetic resonance imaging combined with computed tomography in tumor volume delineation: A case report. World J Clin Cases 2022; 10(1): 249-253 [PMID: 35071524 DOI: 10.12998/wjcc.v10.i1.249]
Corresponding Author of This Article
Lei Gao, PhD, Doctor, Department of Radiotherapy, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, No. 55 Neihuanxi Road, Panyu District, Guangzhou 510006, Guangdong Province, China. dxcflk@gzucm.edu.cn
Research Domain of This Article
Radiology, Nuclear Medicine & Medical Imaging
Article-Type of This Article
Case Report
Open-Access Policy of This Article
This article is an open-access article which was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
World J Clin Cases. Jan 7, 2022; 10(1): 249-253 Published online Jan 7, 2022. doi: 10.12998/wjcc.v10.i1.249
Positron emission tomography and magnetic resonance imaging combined with computed tomography in tumor volume delineation: A case report
Qi-Ping Zhou, Yu-Hua Zhao, Lei Gao
Qi-Ping Zhou, Yu-Hua Zhao, TheSecond Clinical Medical School, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510006, Guangdong Province, China
Lei Gao, Department of Radiotherapy, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510006, Guangdong Province, China
Author contributions: Zhou QP and Zhao YH wrote the manuscript; Gao L was involved in the patient’s medical care, initiated and supervised the study, and wrote and revised the manuscript; all authors have given final approval of the version to be published and agreed to be accountable for all aspects of the work in ensuring that questions related to the accuracy or integrity of any part of the work are appropriately investigated and resolved.
Informed consent statement: Informed written consent was obtained from the patient for publication of this report and any accompanying images.
Conflict-of-interest statement: The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest to disclose.
CARE Checklist (2016) statement: The authors have read the CARE Checklist (2016), and the manuscript was prepared and revised according to the CARE Checklist (2016).
Open-Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Lei Gao, PhD, Doctor, Department of Radiotherapy, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, No. 55 Neihuanxi Road, Panyu District, Guangzhou 510006, Guangdong Province, China. dxcflk@gzucm.edu.cn
Received: February 1, 2021 Peer-review started: February 1, 2021 First decision: July 16, 2021 Revised: July 26, 2021 Accepted: November 24, 2021 Article in press: November 24, 2021 Published online: January 7, 2022
Abstract
BACKGROUND
Accurate delineation of the target area for patients with hypopharyngeal cancer is the key to achieving an ideal radiotherapy effect. Since computed tomography (CT) alone can no longer meet the treatment needs, fusing CT images with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or positron emission tomography (PET) images can overcome the disadvantages of CT. Herein, we present a clinical case of hypopharyngeal cancer to delineate the tumor volume using combined MRI-CT and PET-CT fusion images to examine if they could accurately cover the tumor volume.
CASE SUMMARY
A 67-year-old male patient with hypopharyngeal carcinoma could not tolerate chemotherapy and surgery due to complicated health issues such as diabetic nephropathy and other underlying diseases. After multidisciplinary consultations, clinicians eventually agreed to undergo radiotherapy to control the progression of his tumor. He was examined by CT, MRI, and 18-fluorodeoxyglucose-PET for treatment planning, and CT images were fused with PET and MRI images while delineating tumor volume.
CONCLUSION
The image fusion of MRI-CT and PET-CT has both advantages and disadvantages. Compared with CT images alone, the combination of MRI-CT and PET-CT fusion images can precisely cover the gross tumor volume in hypopharyngeal carcinoma and avoid overestimation or incomplete coverage of tumor volume.
Core Tip: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT) image fusion or positron emission tomography (PET) and CT image fusion is often used to delineate the target areas of hypopharyngeal cancer. Both have their advantages and disadvantages. We report an elderly patient with hypopharyngeal cancer who needed radiotherapy. By combining MRI-CT and PET-CT fusion images to delineate the gross tumor volume, the radiation dose can be maximized, the coverage range is more accurate, and the surrounding normal organs and tissues can be effectively spared.
