Delta-radiomics features of ADC maps as early predictors of treatment response in lung cancer

Science and Research

OBJECTIVE: Investigate the feasibility of detecting early treatment-induced tumor tissue changes in patients with advanced lung adenocarcinoma using diffusion-weighted MRI-derived radiomics features. METHODS: This prospective observational study included 144 patients receiving either tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI, n = 64) or platinum-based chemotherapy (PBC, n = 80) for the treatment of pulmonary adenocarcinoma. Patients underwent diffusion-weighted MRI the day prior to therapy (baseline, all patients), as well as either + 1 (PBC) or + 7 and + 14 (TKI) days after treatment initiation. One hundred ninety-seven radiomics features were extracted from manually delineated tumor volumes. Feature changes over time were analyzed for correlation with treatment response (TR) according to CT-derived RECIST after 2 months and progression-free survival (PFS). RESULTS: Out of 14 selected delta-radiomics features, 6 showed significant correlations with PFS or TR. Most significant correlations were found after 14 days. Features quantifying ROI heterogeneity, such as short-run emphasis (p = 0.04((pfs))/0.005((tr))), gradient short-run emphasis (p = 0.06((pfs))/0.01((tr))), and zone percentage (p = 0.02((pfs))/0.01((tr))) increased in patients with overall better TR whereas patients with worse overall response showed an increase in features quantifying ROI homogeneity, such as normalized inverse difference (p = 0.01((pfs))/0.04((tr))). Clustering of these features allows stratification of patients into groups of longer and shorter survival. CONCLUSION: Two weeks after initiation of treatment, diffusion MRI of lung adenocarcinoma reveals quantifiable tissue-level insights that correlate well with future treatment (non-)response. Diffusion MRI-derived radiomics thus shows promise as an early, radiation-free decision-support to predict efficacy and potentially alter the treatment course early. CRITICAL RELEVANCE STATEMENT: Delta-Radiomics texture features derived from diffusion-weighted MRI of lung adenocarcinoma, acquired as early as 2 weeks after initiation of treatment, are significantly correlated with RECIST TR and PFS as obtained through later morphological imaging. KEY POINTS: Morphological imaging takes time to detect TR in lung cancer, diffusion-weighted MRI might identify response earlier. Several radiomics features are significantly correlated with TR and PFS. Radiomics of diffusion-weighted MRI may facilitate patient stratification and management.