Evaluation of Hyperglycometabolic Area in Primary Brain Tumors using FDG/Methionine Index PET Imaging

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K19803
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Radiation science
• Research Institution: Yamagata University
• Principal Investigator: Kanoto Masafumi 山形大学, 医学部, 教授 (90400572)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: 脳腫瘍 / PET / MRI

Outline of Final Research Achievements

It is difficult to treat primary brain tumors. Especially, although chemoradiation is performed, the prognosis of glioblastomas is exremely poor. Cancer stem cell is important and may exist in hyperglycometabolic area. It is known that cancer stem cell has resistance for chemoradiation. Positron emission tomography (PET) can visualize glucose and amino acid metabolization. We developed the FDG/Methionine Index PET Imaging. This method is expected to visualize more detailed hyperglycometabolic area. We evaluate this method for diagnosis of brain tumors and the prognosis.
We revealed the correlation between this method and pathological grade. For the prognosis, although there is the trend in between standerdized uptake value (SUV) and the prognosis, there is no significant difference among them. We will evaluate them in increasing the numbar of cases and follow up period in the future.

Free Research Field

放射線診断学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

脳腫瘍は治療が難しい腫瘍の一つである。特に、最も悪性である膠芽腫は手術療法に加えて放射線化学療法を施行しても再発する頻度が高い。この要因には放射線科学療法に抵抗性である癌幹細胞が関与していることが知られている。また癌幹細胞は高血糖領域に存在すること示唆される報告がある。PETでは糖代謝やアミノ酸代謝を画像化することができる。私達はより高血糖領域を詳細に描出する糖/アミノ酸の代謝比画像を作成し、脳腫瘍の悪性度や予後評価に有効か否かを検討した。この画像法の確立および有用性を明らかにすることにより、癌幹細胞への治療戦略の大きな一助になると考える。