Intra-tumor heterogeneity based on synthetic MRI in predicting Ki-67 status of nasopharyngeal carcinoma

Motivation: The staging and prognosis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) remain significant challenges, with potential correlations to the Ki-67 proliferation status. Goal(s): To assess and analyze an ITH model based on pre-treatment synthetic MRI (SyMRI) for predicting Ki-67 status in patients with pathologically confirmed NPC. Approach: Twenty-eight NPC patients who underwent pre-treatment SyMRI. SyMRI data were processed to generate T1, T2, and PD maps. The ITHscore, derived from quantitative parameter maps, was utilized to establish models for predicting Ki-67 status based on clinical data. Results: The ITHscore, based on quantitative parameter maps, demonstrated promise as an imaging marker for predicting Ki-67 status in NPC. Impact: The ITHscore derived from SyMRI holds potential as a non-invasive imaging marker for predicting Ki-67 status, which can have clinical implications in the management of NPC.