Prognostic value of textural indices extracted from pretherapeutic 18‐F FDG‐PET/CT in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma

BACKGROUND: This study aimed at assessing the prognostic value of textural indices extracted from 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron-emission tomography (FDG-PET)/CT in a large cohort of patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC) of any anatomic subsite and staging. METHODS: Consecutive patients with HNSCC referred for a pretreatment FDG-PET/CT were retrospectively included and followed up for a minimum of 2 years. Standardized uptake value, metabolic tumor volume (MTV), and textural indices were calculated using LIFEx software. Prognostic significance of parameters was assessed in univariate and multivariate analysis. RESULTS: Textural indices were extracted in 284 patients (mean age = 63.7±9.6 years). In univariate analysis, MTV and 4 textural indices-Correlation, Entropy, Energy, and Coarseness-were significantly correlated with overall survival (OS). In multivariate analysis, MTV (P = .008) and Correlation (P = .028) remained independently correlated to OS. CONCLUSION: This study showed that MTV and 1 textural index extracted from pretherapeutic FDG-PET/CT (Correlation) were independent prognostic factors of OS in patients with HNSCC.