Utility of preoperative ferumoxtran-10 MRI to evaluate retroperitoneal lymph node metastasis in advanced cervical cancer: Results of ACRIN 6671/GOG 0233

•We evaluated the added value of a USPIO agent (Ferumoxtran-10) to MRI evaluation of LN metastasis in loco-regionally advanced cervical cancer in a multicenter trial.•There was no significant difference in the accuracy of f-10 MRI as compared to standard MRI to detect LN metastasis in advanced cervical cancer (P > 0.05).•F-10 MRI increased sensitivity of MRI to detect metastasis in small (<8 mm) LNs but at the expense of lower specificity.•Mean size of the largest metastatic focus in the LN on pathology was 13.7 mm in the abdomen and 18.8 mm in the pelvis (P = 0.018).

Rationale and objectivesTo assess if ferumoxtran-10 (f-10) improves accuracy of MRI to detect lymph node (LN) metastasis in advanced cervical cancer.Materials and methodsF-10 MRI component of an IRB approved HIPAA compliant ACRIN/GOG trial was analyzed.Patients underwent f-10 MRI followed by extra-peritoneal or laparoscopic pelvic and abdominal lymphadenectomy. F-10-sensitive sequences were T2* GRE sequences with TE of 12 and 21. Seven independent blinded readers reviewed f-10-insensitive sequences and all sequences in different sessions. Region correlations were performed between pathology and MRI for eight abdomen and pelvis regions. Sensitivity and specificity were calculated at participant level. Reference standard is based on pathology result of surgically removed LNs.ResultsAmong 43 women enrolled in the trial between September 2007 and November 2009, 33 women (mean age 49 ± 11 years old) with advanced cervical cancer (12 IB2, 3 IIA, 15 IIB and 3 IIIB, 29 squamous cell carcinomas, 32 grade 2 or 3) were evaluable. Based on histopathology, LN metastasis was 39% in abdomen and 70% in pelvis. Sensitivity of all sequence review in pelvis, abdomen, and combined were 83%, 60%, and 86%, compared with 78%, 54%, and 80% for f-10 insensitive sequences (P: 0.24, 0.44 and 0.14, respectively). Mean diameter of the largest positive focus on histopathology was 13.7 mm in abdomen and 18.8 mm in pelvis (P = 0.018). Specificities of all sequence review in pelvis, abdomen, and combined were 48%, 75%, and 43%, compared with 75%, 83%, and 73% (P: 0.003, 0.14, 0.002 respectively) for f-10 insensitive sequences.ConclusionAddition of f-10 increased MRI sensitivity to detect LN metastasis in advanced cervical cancer. Increased sensitivity did not reach statistical significance and was at the expense of lower specificity.