Application of 62Cu-diacetyl-bis (N4-methylthiosemicarbazone) PET imaging to predict highly malignant tumor grades and hypoxia-inducible factor-1α expression in patients with glioma.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Hypoxic tissue evaluation in glioma is important for predicting treatment response and establishing antihypoxia therapy. In this preliminary study, (62)Cu-ATSM PET was used to determine its validity as a biomarker for distinguishing tumor grade and tissue hypoxia. MATERIALS AND METHODS (62)Cu-ATSM PET was performed in 22 patients with glioma, and the (62)Cu-ATSM SUV(max) and T/B ratio were semiquantitatively evaluated. (62)Cu-ATSM uptake distribution was qualitatively evaluated and compared with MR imaging findings. HIF-1α expression, a hypoxia marker, was compared with (62)Cu-ATSM uptake values. RESULTS The (62)Cu-ATSM SUV(max) and T/B ratio were significantly higher in grade IV than in grade III gliomas (P = .014 and .018, respectively), whereas no significant differences were found between grade III and grade II gliomas. At a T/B ratio cutoff threshold of 1.8, (62)Cu-ATSM uptake was predictive of HIF-1α expression, with 92.3% sensitivity and 88.9% specificity. The mean T/B ratio was also significantly higher in HIF-1α-positive glioma tissue than in HIF-1α-negative tissue (P = .001). Using this optimal threshold of T/B ratio, (62)Cu-ATSM PET showed regional uptake in 61.9% (13/21) of tumors within the contrast-enhanced region on MR imaging, which was significantly correlated with presence of a necrotic component (P = .002). CONCLUSIONS Our results demonstrated that (62)Cu-ATSM uptake is relatively high in grade IV gliomas and correlates with the MR imaging findings of necrosis. Moreover, the (62)Cu-ATSM T/B ratio showed significant correlation with HIF-1α expression. Thus, (62)Cu-ATSM appears to be a suitable biomarker for predicting highly malignant grades and tissue hypoxia in patients with glioma.