Pilot Study of [F] Fluorodeoxyglucose Positron Emission Tomography (FDG-PET)/Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) for Staging of Muscle-invasive Bladder Cancer (MIBC).

Introduction: Computed tomography (CT) has limited diagnostic accuracy for staging of muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC). [F] Fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET)/magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a novel imaging modality incorporating functional imaging with improved soft tissue characterization. This pilot study evaluated the use of preoperative FDG-PET/MRI for staging of MIBC.

Patients And Methods: Twenty-one patients with MIBC with planned radical cystectomy were enrolled. Two teams of radiologists reviewed FDG-PET/MRI scans to determine: (1) presence of primary bladder tumor; and (2) lymph node involvement and distant metastases. FDG-PET/MRI was compared with cystectomy pathology and computed tomography (CT).

Results: Eighteen patients were included in the final analysis, most (72.2%) of whom received neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Final pathology revealed 10 (56%) patients with muscle invasion and only 3 (17%) patients with lymph node involvement. Clustered analysis of FDG-PET/MRI radiology team reads revealed a sensitivity of 0.80 and a specificity of 0.56 for detection of the primary tumor with a sensitivity of 0 and a specificity of 1.00 for detection of lymph node involvement when compared with cystectomy pathology. CT imaging demonstrated similar rates in evaluation of the primary tumor (sensitivity, 0.91; specificity, 0.43) and lymph node involvement (sensitivity, 0; specificity, 0.93) when compared with pathology.

Conclusions: This pilot single-institution experience of FDG-PET/MRI for preoperative staging of MIBC performed similar to CT for the detection of the primary tumor; however, the determination of lymph node status was limited by few patients with true pathologic lymph node involvement. Further studies are needed to evaluate the potential role for FDG-PET/MRI in the staging of MIBC.