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Evaluation of the degree of pancreatic fatty infiltration by area-based assessment of CT images: comparison with histopathology-based and CT attenuation index-based assessments

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the degree of fatty infiltration (FI) of the pancreas using area-based assessment on computed tomography (CT) (CT area-based assessment) in its correlation and agreement/concordance with histopathology-based assessment. Furthermore, we examined whether CT area-based assessment was better than CT attenuation index-based assessment.

Materials and methods

We retrospectively evaluated the degree of FI of the pancreas in 37 pancreatic cancer patients who had undergone preoperative CT and pancreaticoduodenectomy. The degree of FI of the pancreas was examined by histopathology-based assessment using surgical resection samples, and CT area-based and CT attenuation index-based assessments.

Results

Mean values of pancreatic FI measured by area-based assessment on unenhanced CT and by histopathology-based assessments were 14.4 ± 23.2 % (range 0–77.7 %) and 16.2 ± 17.4 % (range 0.2–60.2 %), respectively. Area-based assessment on unenhanced CT showed higher correlation and concordance with histopathology-based assessment, demonstrating a Spearman correlation coefficient of 0.78 (P < 0.0001) and a Kendall’s tau-b coefficient of 0.69 (P < 0.0001). For CT attenuation index-based assessment, the corresponding values were −0.66 (P < 0.0001) and −0.39 (P = 0.008), respectively.

Conclusions

To order/categorize subjects according to the degree of FI of the pancreas, CT area-based assessment is suggested to be better than CT attenuation index-based assessment.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by Grants-in-Aid for Cancer Research, by the Third-Term Comprehensive 10-Year Strategy for Cancer Control from the Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare of Japan (H26-KAKUSHINNTEKIGANN-IPPANN-097), and the Pancreas Research Foundation of Japan. M. Hori was an awardee of Research Resident Fellowships from the Foundation for Promotion of Cancer Research (Japan) for the Third-Term Comprehensive 10-Year Strategy for Cancer Control during the performance of the present research.

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Author notes

  1. Mika Hori

    Present address: Department of Molecular Innovation in Lipidology, National Cerebral and Cardiovascular Center Research Institute, 5-7-1 Fujishirodai, Suita, Osaka, 565-8565, Japan

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Cancer Development System, National Cancer Center Research Institute, 5-1-1 Tsukiji, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, 104-0045, Japan

    Mika Hori

  2. Radiology Consultation Section, Department of Medical Support and Partnership, Center for Cancer Control and Information Services, National Cancer Center, 5-1-1 Tsukiji, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, 104-0045, Japan

    Hiroaki Onaya & Hideaki Kobayashi

  3. Division of Molecular Pathology, National Cancer Center Research Institute, 5-1-1 Tsukiji, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, 104-0045, Japan

    Nobuyoshi Hiraoka

  4. Epidemiology and Prevention Group, Center of Public Health Sciences, National Cancer Center, 5-1-1 Tsukiji, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, 104-0045, Japan

    Taiki Yamaji

  5. Central Animal Division, National Cancer Center Research Institute, 5-1-1 Tsukiji, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, 104-0045, Japan

    Mami Takahashi

  6. Division of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Prevention, National Cancer Center Research Institute, 5-1-1 Tsukiji, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, 104-0045, Japan

    Michihiro Mutoh

  7. Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery Division, National Cancer Center Hospital, 5-1-1 Tsukiji, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, 104-0045, Japan

    Kazuaki Shimada

  8. National Cancer Center, 5-1-1 Tsukiji, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, 104-0045, Japan

    Hitoshi Nakagama

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  1. Mika Hori
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  2. Hiroaki Onaya
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  3. Nobuyoshi Hiraoka
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  7. Michihiro Mutoh
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  9. Hitoshi Nakagama
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Hitoshi Nakagama.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Hori, M., Onaya, H., Hiraoka, N. et al. Evaluation of the degree of pancreatic fatty infiltration by area-based assessment of CT images: comparison with histopathology-based and CT attenuation index-based assessments. Jpn J Radiol 34, 667–676 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11604-016-0572-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11604-016-0572-0

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