Correlation of Pre- and Post-radio-chemotherapy MRI Texture Features With Tumor Response in Rectal Cancer

Abstract

Background/aim: The present study aimed to investigate radiomics features derived from magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in patients with locally advanced rectal cancer treated with neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (CRT).

Patients and methods: We retrospectively evaluated data of 53 patients (32 males, 21 females) with T3/T4 or N+ rectal cancer who underwent MRI before and after CRT. Twenty-seven texture radiomics features were extracted from regions of interest, delimiting the tumor on T2-weighted images.

Results: All 27 radiomics features extracted before CRT showed a statistically significant association with the tumor regression grade (TRG) (p<0.05), whereas, after CRT, only the Cluster Prominence value was the only variable to predict TRG (p=0.037, r=0.291).

Conclusion: All 27 features extracted before CRT were able to predict response to CRT and Cluster Prominence continued to be statistically significant even after CRT. The impact of radiomics features derived from MRI could be further investigated in patients with locally advanced rectal cancer.

Keywords: Locally advanced rectal cancer; chemo-radiotherapy; magnetic resonance imaging; radiomics.