TABLE 1.
Characteristics of the patients with oesophageal cancer enrolled in the study
| Case | Location – third | Histology | Treatment | Stage | Gender | Age |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Proximal | SCC | definitive | T3N0M0 | M | 62 |
| 2 | Proximal | SCC | definitive | T3N0M0 | M | 66 |
| 3 | Distal | AC | preoperative | T3N1M0 | M | 64 |
| 4 | Middle | SCC | definitive | T3N1M0 | M | 68 |
| 5 | Proximal | SCC | definitive | T3N2M0 | F | 60 |
| 6 | Proximal | SCC | definitive | T3N1M0 | M | 57 |
| 7 | Distal | AC | preoperative | T3N1M0 | M | 66 |
| 8 | Proximal | SCC | definitive | T3N1M0 | M | 64 |
| 9 | Distal | AC | definitive | T2N0M0 | M | 81 |
| 10 | Distal | AC | preoperative | T3N2M0 | M | 35 |
| 11 | Proximal | SCC | definitive | T3N0M0 | M | 58 |
| 12 | Distal | SCC | preoperative | T3N1M0 | M | 61 |
| 13 | Proximal | SCC | definitive | T3N0M0 | M | 63 |
| 14 | Middle | SCC | preoperative | T3N0M0 | M | 54 |
| 15 | Distal | AC | preoperative | T3N0M0 | M | 64 |
| 16 | Middle | SCC | definitive | T3N1M0 | F | 83 |
| 17 | Distal | AC | preoperative | T3N1M0 | M | 58 |
| 18 | Proximal | SCC | definitive | T3N0M0 | M | 42 |
| 19 | Distal | AC | preoperative | T3N0M0 | M | 75 |
| 20 | Proximal | SCC | definitive | T3N0M0 | M | 70 |
| 21 | Proximal | SCC | definitive | T3N2M0 | F | 46 |
| 22 | Middle | SCC | preoperative | T3N0M0 | M | 53 |
| 23 | Middle | SCC | preoperative | T2N2M0 | M | 67 |
FIGURE 1.
The coordinate system for spatial assessment of inter-delineation distances is projected on a single slice of imaging modality containing an example of GTV and divided in 12 angular segments (6 on the left and 6 on the right). Green line represents the reference contour, red line is the test contour.
TABLE 2.
Mean volume of gross tumor volume (GTV), CIgen, VCI, PCI, IDD and standard deviation
| CT (SD) | MR (SD) | CT MR (SD) | PET/CT (SD) | PET/CT MR (SD) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Volume (cm3) | 37.14 (35.66) | 33.03 (30.40) | 35.04 (32.58) | 44.12 (39.10) | 40.94 (35.16) |
| CIgen | 0.56 (0.18) | 0.61 (0.14) | 0.61 (0.14) | 064 (0.13) | 0.67 (0.12) |
| VCI | 0.67 (0.18) | 0.71 (0.15) | 0.71 (0.14) | 0.74 (0.14) | 0.77 (0.12) |
| PCI | 0.64 (0.17) | 0.67 (0.16) | 0.67 (0.15) | 0.71 (0.14) | 0.73 (0.13) |
| IDD (mm) | 1.39 (1.47) | 1.44 (1.44) | 1.70 (1.50) | 1.68 (1.50) | 1.60 (1.66) |
[i] CIgen = generalized conformity index; CT = computed tomography; ; CT MR = fusion of CT and MR; MR = magnetic resonance imaging; IDD = inter-delineation distance; PET/CT = positron emission tomography and CT; PET/CT MR = fusion of PET/CT and MR; VCI = volumetric conformity index; PCI = planar conformity index; SD = standard deviation
FIGURE 2.
Mean planar conformity index (PCI) for the GTV as a function of slice number for all imaging modalities for case 22.
Blue = computed tomography (CT); Green = fusion of PET/CT and MR; Red = magnetic resonance imaging (MR); Violet = positron emission tomography and CT (PET/CT); Yellow = fusion of CT and MR (CT MR); 1= most caudal slice; 33= most cranial slice.
FIGURE 3.
Delineation of the gross tumour volume (GTV) of all five observers of case 22, sagittal view. The variation in cranial border is highest on computed tomography (CT) and lowest on positron emission tomography (PET/CT) magnetic resonance (MR).
(A) CT; (B) PET/CT; (C) fusion of CT and MR; (D) fusion of PET/CT and MR.
FIGURE 4.
Mean inter-delineation distance (IDD) curves of the gross tumour volume (GTV) delineated on different imaging modalities as a function of the angle. The IDD is largest in tumours of the lower third and similar in upper and thirds. (A) Upper third of the oesophagus; (B) Middle third of the oesophagus; (C) Lower third of the oesophagus.
Blue = computed tomography; Green = fusion of PET CT and MR. Red = magnetic resonance imaging; Violet = positron emission tomography and CT; Yellow = fusion of CT and MR