Quantitative diffusion-weighted MRI parameters and human papillomavirus status in oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Patients with human papillomavirus-positive oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinomas have a better survival rate than those with human papillomavirus-negative oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinomas. DWI characterizes biologically relevant tumor features, and the generated ADC may also provide prognostic information. We explored whether human papillomavirus status and ADC values are independent tumor characteristics.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty-four patients with oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinomas underwent pretreatment DWI. ADC values for the primary tumors were determined by using 3 b-values in an ROI containing the largest area of solid tumor on a single section of an axial DWI image. Human papillomavirus status was determined with p16 immunostaining, followed by high-risk human papillomavirus DNA detection on the p16-positive cases.

RESULTS: Twenty-two patients were human papillomavirus-positive (50.0%). ADC values were not significantly different between human papillomavirus-negative (ADCmean = 1.56 [1.18-2.18] × 103 mm2/s) and human papillomavirus-positive tumors (ADCmean = 1.46 [1.07-2.16] × 103 mm2/s).

CONCLUSIONS: No significant association between ADC and human papillomavirus status was found in oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinomas. In our study population, differences in genetic and histologic features between human papillomavirus-positive and human papillomavirus-negative oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinomas did not translate into different ADC values. Long-term follow-up studies are needed to establish whether ADC has prognostic value and whether this is independent of the human papillomavirus status.