11C-methinine uptake correlates with MGMT promoter methylation in nonenhancing gliomas

• Methylation status of MGMT correlates with methionine uptake in glioma.
• 11C-methinone PET could be useful to detect MGMT promoter methylation in glioma.
• Higher methionine uptake may reflect the presence of MGMT promoter methylation.

ObjectivesSeveral studies have aimed to detect biomarkers in glioma using noninvasive imaging techniques. However, few studies have been able to image 1p/19q deletion by 11C-methionine positron emission tomography (11C-methionine PET) or 2-hydroxyglutarate (2HG) by proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS). This study examines the correlation between 11C-methionine uptake and MGMT promoter methylation in grade II and grade III nonenhancing gliomas.Patients and methodsData was collected from 20 patients with grade II and III nonenhancing gliomas who underwent both MRI and 11C-methionine PET as part of their pre-surgical examination. We examined MGMT promoter methylation by quantitative methylation-specific PCR.ResultsThe mean MGMT promoter methylation for tumors with T/N ratios ≥1.6 was 28.0 ± 26.3, and that for tumors with T/N ratios <1.6 was 0.68 ± 0.89. The MGMT promoter methylation for tumors with T/N ratios ≥1.6 was significantly higher than that for tumors with T/N ratios <1.6 (P < 0.05).ConclusionsA higher uptake in 11C-methionine PET may reflect increased MGMT promoter methylation. 11C-methionine PET could be a useful tool to detect MGMT promoter methylation in nonenhancing glioma.