Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41113743›Full record

ReviewInternational archives of otorhinolaryngology2025

The Relationship Between Functional Parameters Derived from Diffusion-Weighted MRI and 18F-Fluorodeoxyglucose PET/CT in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Ludovico Maria Garau, Marco Rensi, Livio Bastianutti, Roberto Bologna, Michele Povolato, Decio Capobianco, Fernando Di Gregorio

Abstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in International archives of otorhinolaryngology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Ludovico Maria GarauDepartment of Nuclear Medicine, Santa Maria della Misericordia University Hospital, Udine, Italy.ORCID 0000-0001-5603-4689
Marco RensiDepartment of Nuclear Medicine, Santa Maria della Misericordia University Hospital, Udine, Italy.
Livio BastianuttiDepartment of Nuclear Medicine, Santa Maria della Misericordia University Hospital, Udine, Italy.
Roberto BolognaDepartment of Nuclear Medicine, Santa Maria della Misericordia University Hospital, Udine, Italy.
Michele PovolatoDepartment of Nuclear Medicine, Santa Maria della Misericordia University Hospital, Udine, Italy.
Decio CapobiancoDepartment of Nuclear Medicine, Santa Maria della Misericordia University Hospital, Udine, Italy.
Fernando Di GregorioDepartment of Nuclear Medicine, Santa Maria della Misericordia University Hospital, Udine, Italy.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Introduction: Over the past decade, a mechanistic hypothesis emerged linking limited water diffusivity (often reflecting densely packed, actively dividing tumor cells) to elevated glucose uptake in head and neck cancer. Objective: A systematic search of MEDLINE via PubMed identified eligible studies assessing the correlation between apparent diffusion coefficients from diffusion-weighted MRI and standardized uptake values from 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose PET/CT in head and neck cancer. Weighted correlation coefficients (ρ) were computed using Fisher Z transformations, and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated. Heterogeneity was evaluated with Higgins's inconsistency index, and potential publication bias was evaluated by visually inspecting funnel plots. Results: A total of 25 articles, encompassing 790 patients, were systematically appraised to summarize the available evidence regarding the relationship between functional parameters in head and neck cancer. Thirteen studies, involving 367 patients and reporting a statistically significant inverse correlation between functional parameters, were summarized in the forest plot; the pooled correlation coefficient estimate was ρ = -0.55 (95% CI: -0.624 to -0.473; P < 0.05), with low heterogeneity. A further 12 studies were systematically reviewed for qualitative analysis due to the absence of significant relationships. Conclusion: The correlations observed in some studies between apparent diffusion coefficients and standardized uptake values may provide insights to develop metrics for evaluating treatment efficacy and predicting clinical outcomes in head and neck cancer. However, not all studies confirmed this result, possibly due to factors such as molecular characteristics or clinical settings.

Indexed as

apparent diffusion coefficientdiffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaginghead and neck squamous cell carcinomapositron emission tomography and computed tomography

Identifiers

PMID41113743
PMCPMC12530915

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.