Volumetry of [11C]-Methionine Positron Emission Tomographic Uptake as a Prognostic Marker before Treatment of Patients with Malignant Glioma

The purpose of this positron emission tomography (PET) study was to compare the prognostic value of pretreatment volume of [11C] methionine (MET) uptake and semiquantitative MET uptake ratio in patients with malignant glioma. The study population comprised 40 patients with malignant glioma. Pretreatment magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and MET-PET imaging were performed before the initiation of glioma treatment in all patients. The pretreatment MET uptake ratios and volumes were assessed. To create prognostically homogeneous subgroups, patients′ pretreatment prognostic factors were stratified according to the six classes of Radiation Therapy Oncology Group recursive partitioning analysis (RTOG RPA). Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to determine significant prognostic factors. Survival analyses identified the pretreatment volume of MET uptake and a higher RTOG RPA class as significant predictors. In contrast, pretreatment maximum areas of contrast enhancement on MRI and semiquantitative MET uptake ratios could not be identified as significant prognostic factors. The patients′ outcomes and Karnofsky Performance Scale scores were significantly correlated with pretreatment volume of MET uptake but not with semiquantitative MET uptake ratio. The data suggest that pretreatment volumetry of MET uptake but not the semiquantitative MET uptake ratio is a useful biologic prognostic marker in patients with malignant glioma.