1H-MRS and 18FDG PET: Metabolism in Head and Neck Cancers

Jacobus F.A. Jansen¹, Heiko Schoder¹, Nancy Lee¹, Hilda E. Stambuk¹, David G. Pfister¹, Jatin P. Shah¹, Jason A. Koutcher¹, Amita Shukla-Dave¹

In the present study to better understand the metabolism in head and neck we attempted to assess whether there is a correlation between 1H-MRS and 18FDG PET data. 15 newly diagnosed head and neck cancer patients with metastatic nodes underwent both imaging techniques and were included in the analysis. A correlation analysis of Choline concentration estimates and 18FDG SUV PET uptake yielded a positive Pearson correlations coefficient of r=0.584 (p = 0.022). The results in the present study show a positive correlation between choline levels as assessed by 1H-MRS with glucose levels as indicated by 18FDG uptake. This observation is indicative of a correlation between glucose metabolism (18FDG) and an increased cellular proliferation (choline).