A novel structural modeling magnitude and orientation radiomic descriptor for evaluating response to neoadjuvant therapy in rectal cancers via MRI

Abstract With advances in neoadjuvant therapies for rectal cancer, accurately evaluating tumor regression and response is increasingly critical for enabling personalized follow-up, including non-operative management. Given the lack of reliable assessment methods, there is an opportunity to develop c...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Charlems Alvarez-Jimenez, Jacob T. Antunes, Thomas DeSilvio, Zhouping Wei, Marwa Ismail, Joseph E. Willis, Emily Steinhagen, Andrei Purysko, David Liska, Smitha Krishnamurthi, Marka Crittenden, Michael Gough, Kristina Young, Anant Madabhushi, Eduardo Romero, Pallavi Tiwari, Satish E. Viswanath
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-07-01
Series:npj Precision Oncology
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41698-025-01007-3
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849403005480206336
author Charlems Alvarez-Jimenez
Jacob T. Antunes
Thomas DeSilvio
Zhouping Wei
Marwa Ismail
Joseph E. Willis
Emily Steinhagen
Andrei Purysko
David Liska
Smitha Krishnamurthi
Marka Crittenden
Michael Gough
Kristina Young
Anant Madabhushi
Eduardo Romero
Pallavi Tiwari
Satish E. Viswanath
author_facet Charlems Alvarez-Jimenez
Jacob T. Antunes
Thomas DeSilvio
Zhouping Wei
Marwa Ismail
Joseph E. Willis
Emily Steinhagen
Andrei Purysko
David Liska
Smitha Krishnamurthi
Marka Crittenden
Michael Gough
Kristina Young
Anant Madabhushi
Eduardo Romero
Pallavi Tiwari
Satish E. Viswanath
author_sort Charlems Alvarez-Jimenez
collection DOAJ
description Abstract With advances in neoadjuvant therapies for rectal cancer, accurately evaluating tumor regression and response is increasingly critical for enabling personalized follow-up, including non-operative management. Given the lack of reliable assessment methods, there is an opportunity to develop computerized image-based markers for identifying early responders. We present a novel radiomic signature, the STructural mOdeling magnituDE and Orientation (StODeO) descriptor for quantifying image-based surrogates of tumor shrinkage within and around the rectum via routine MRI scans. StODeO descriptors measure both the magnitude (how much) and direction (inward/outward) of structural displacements in the diseased rectal wall, with respect to a newly constructed, first-of-its-kind image-based reference atlas of the non-diseased rectum. Combined with traditional radiomic texture features, StODeO showed superior performance in distinguishing pathologic response groups of rectal cancer patients post-chemoradiation (hold-out validation AUC 0.77) as well as segregating composite response groups in a clinical trial of immune checkpoint inhibitors (external validation accuracy 0.71; NCT02688712). The integrated StODeO-texture signature demonstrated robustness across annotation sources and imaging variations, intuitive modeling of therapy-associated structural changes, and statistical associations with tumor-immune biology, including macrophages and CD8+ T-cells from multiplexed biopsy analysis. StODeO offers a novel image-based surrogate of tissue displacements from treatment effects and residual disease after neoadjuvant therapy in rectal cancers.
format Article
id doaj-art-a1359f9cb19e4cf6bc718ca19bf0c32d
institution Kabale University
issn 2397-768X
language English
publishDate 2025-07-01
publisher Nature Portfolio
record_format Article
series npj Precision Oncology
spelling doaj-art-a1359f9cb19e4cf6bc718ca19bf0c32d2025-08-20T03:37:22ZengNature Portfolionpj Precision Oncology2397-768X2025-07-019111110.1038/s41698-025-01007-3A novel structural modeling magnitude and orientation radiomic descriptor for evaluating response to neoadjuvant therapy in rectal cancers via MRICharlems Alvarez-Jimenez0Jacob T. Antunes1Thomas DeSilvio2Zhouping Wei3Marwa Ismail4Joseph E. Willis5Emily Steinhagen6Andrei Purysko7David Liska8Smitha Krishnamurthi9Marka Crittenden10Michael Gough11Kristina Young12Anant Madabhushi13Eduardo Romero14Pallavi Tiwari15Satish E. Viswanath16Department of Biomedical Engineering, Case Western Reserve UniversityDepartment of Biomedical Engineering, Case Western Reserve UniversityDepartment of Biomedical Engineering, Case Western Reserve UniversityDepartment of Machine Learning, Moffitt Cancer CenterDepartments of Radiology & Biomedical Engineering, University of Wisconsin-MadisonDepartment of Pathology, University Hospitals Cleveland Medical CenterDepartment of Surgery, University Hospitals Cleveland Medical CenterAbdominal Imaging and Nuclear Radiology Department, Cleveland ClinicColorectal Surgery Department, Cleveland ClinicHematology and Medical Oncology Department, Cleveland ClinicEarle A. Chiles Research Institute, Robert W. Franz Cancer Center, Providence Portland Medical CenterEarle A. Chiles Research Institute, Robert W. Franz Cancer Center, Providence Portland Medical CenterEarle A. Chiles Research Institute, Robert W. Franz Cancer Center, Providence Portland Medical CenterDepartment of Biomedical Engineering, Emory UniversityComputer Imaging and Medical Application Laboratory, Universidad Nacional de ColombiaDepartments of Radiology & Biomedical Engineering, University of Wisconsin-MadisonDepartment of Biomedical Engineering, Case Western Reserve UniversityAbstract With advances in neoadjuvant therapies for rectal cancer, accurately evaluating tumor regression and response is increasingly critical for enabling personalized follow-up, including non-operative management. Given the lack of reliable assessment methods, there is an opportunity to develop computerized image-based markers for identifying early responders. We present a novel radiomic signature, the STructural mOdeling magnituDE and Orientation (StODeO) descriptor for quantifying image-based surrogates of tumor shrinkage within and around the rectum via routine MRI scans. StODeO descriptors measure both the magnitude (how much) and direction (inward/outward) of structural displacements in the diseased rectal wall, with respect to a newly constructed, first-of-its-kind image-based reference atlas of the non-diseased rectum. Combined with traditional radiomic texture features, StODeO showed superior performance in distinguishing pathologic response groups of rectal cancer patients post-chemoradiation (hold-out validation AUC 0.77) as well as segregating composite response groups in a clinical trial of immune checkpoint inhibitors (external validation accuracy 0.71; NCT02688712). The integrated StODeO-texture signature demonstrated robustness across annotation sources and imaging variations, intuitive modeling of therapy-associated structural changes, and statistical associations with tumor-immune biology, including macrophages and CD8+ T-cells from multiplexed biopsy analysis. StODeO offers a novel image-based surrogate of tissue displacements from treatment effects and residual disease after neoadjuvant therapy in rectal cancers.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41698-025-01007-3
spellingShingle Charlems Alvarez-Jimenez
Jacob T. Antunes
Thomas DeSilvio
Zhouping Wei
Marwa Ismail
Joseph E. Willis
Emily Steinhagen
Andrei Purysko
David Liska
Smitha Krishnamurthi
Marka Crittenden
Michael Gough
Kristina Young
Anant Madabhushi
Eduardo Romero
Pallavi Tiwari
Satish E. Viswanath
A novel structural modeling magnitude and orientation radiomic descriptor for evaluating response to neoadjuvant therapy in rectal cancers via MRI
npj Precision Oncology
title A novel structural modeling magnitude and orientation radiomic descriptor for evaluating response to neoadjuvant therapy in rectal cancers via MRI
title_full A novel structural modeling magnitude and orientation radiomic descriptor for evaluating response to neoadjuvant therapy in rectal cancers via MRI
title_fullStr A novel structural modeling magnitude and orientation radiomic descriptor for evaluating response to neoadjuvant therapy in rectal cancers via MRI
title_full_unstemmed A novel structural modeling magnitude and orientation radiomic descriptor for evaluating response to neoadjuvant therapy in rectal cancers via MRI
title_short A novel structural modeling magnitude and orientation radiomic descriptor for evaluating response to neoadjuvant therapy in rectal cancers via MRI
title_sort novel structural modeling magnitude and orientation radiomic descriptor for evaluating response to neoadjuvant therapy in rectal cancers via mri
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41698-025-01007-3
work_keys_str_mv AT charlemsalvarezjimenez anovelstructuralmodelingmagnitudeandorientationradiomicdescriptorforevaluatingresponsetoneoadjuvanttherapyinrectalcancersviamri
AT jacobtantunes anovelstructuralmodelingmagnitudeandorientationradiomicdescriptorforevaluatingresponsetoneoadjuvanttherapyinrectalcancersviamri
AT thomasdesilvio anovelstructuralmodelingmagnitudeandorientationradiomicdescriptorforevaluatingresponsetoneoadjuvanttherapyinrectalcancersviamri
AT zhoupingwei anovelstructuralmodelingmagnitudeandorientationradiomicdescriptorforevaluatingresponsetoneoadjuvanttherapyinrectalcancersviamri
AT marwaismail anovelstructuralmodelingmagnitudeandorientationradiomicdescriptorforevaluatingresponsetoneoadjuvanttherapyinrectalcancersviamri
AT josephewillis anovelstructuralmodelingmagnitudeandorientationradiomicdescriptorforevaluatingresponsetoneoadjuvanttherapyinrectalcancersviamri
AT emilysteinhagen anovelstructuralmodelingmagnitudeandorientationradiomicdescriptorforevaluatingresponsetoneoadjuvanttherapyinrectalcancersviamri
AT andreipurysko anovelstructuralmodelingmagnitudeandorientationradiomicdescriptorforevaluatingresponsetoneoadjuvanttherapyinrectalcancersviamri
AT davidliska anovelstructuralmodelingmagnitudeandorientationradiomicdescriptorforevaluatingresponsetoneoadjuvanttherapyinrectalcancersviamri
AT smithakrishnamurthi anovelstructuralmodelingmagnitudeandorientationradiomicdescriptorforevaluatingresponsetoneoadjuvanttherapyinrectalcancersviamri
AT markacrittenden anovelstructuralmodelingmagnitudeandorientationradiomicdescriptorforevaluatingresponsetoneoadjuvanttherapyinrectalcancersviamri
AT michaelgough anovelstructuralmodelingmagnitudeandorientationradiomicdescriptorforevaluatingresponsetoneoadjuvanttherapyinrectalcancersviamri
AT kristinayoung anovelstructuralmodelingmagnitudeandorientationradiomicdescriptorforevaluatingresponsetoneoadjuvanttherapyinrectalcancersviamri
AT anantmadabhushi anovelstructuralmodelingmagnitudeandorientationradiomicdescriptorforevaluatingresponsetoneoadjuvanttherapyinrectalcancersviamri
AT eduardoromero anovelstructuralmodelingmagnitudeandorientationradiomicdescriptorforevaluatingresponsetoneoadjuvanttherapyinrectalcancersviamri
AT pallavitiwari anovelstructuralmodelingmagnitudeandorientationradiomicdescriptorforevaluatingresponsetoneoadjuvanttherapyinrectalcancersviamri
AT satisheviswanath anovelstructuralmodelingmagnitudeandorientationradiomicdescriptorforevaluatingresponsetoneoadjuvanttherapyinrectalcancersviamri
AT charlemsalvarezjimenez novelstructuralmodelingmagnitudeandorientationradiomicdescriptorforevaluatingresponsetoneoadjuvanttherapyinrectalcancersviamri
AT jacobtantunes novelstructuralmodelingmagnitudeandorientationradiomicdescriptorforevaluatingresponsetoneoadjuvanttherapyinrectalcancersviamri
AT thomasdesilvio novelstructuralmodelingmagnitudeandorientationradiomicdescriptorforevaluatingresponsetoneoadjuvanttherapyinrectalcancersviamri
AT zhoupingwei novelstructuralmodelingmagnitudeandorientationradiomicdescriptorforevaluatingresponsetoneoadjuvanttherapyinrectalcancersviamri
AT marwaismail novelstructuralmodelingmagnitudeandorientationradiomicdescriptorforevaluatingresponsetoneoadjuvanttherapyinrectalcancersviamri
AT josephewillis novelstructuralmodelingmagnitudeandorientationradiomicdescriptorforevaluatingresponsetoneoadjuvanttherapyinrectalcancersviamri
AT emilysteinhagen novelstructuralmodelingmagnitudeandorientationradiomicdescriptorforevaluatingresponsetoneoadjuvanttherapyinrectalcancersviamri
AT andreipurysko novelstructuralmodelingmagnitudeandorientationradiomicdescriptorforevaluatingresponsetoneoadjuvanttherapyinrectalcancersviamri
AT davidliska novelstructuralmodelingmagnitudeandorientationradiomicdescriptorforevaluatingresponsetoneoadjuvanttherapyinrectalcancersviamri
AT smithakrishnamurthi novelstructuralmodelingmagnitudeandorientationradiomicdescriptorforevaluatingresponsetoneoadjuvanttherapyinrectalcancersviamri
AT markacrittenden novelstructuralmodelingmagnitudeandorientationradiomicdescriptorforevaluatingresponsetoneoadjuvanttherapyinrectalcancersviamri
AT michaelgough novelstructuralmodelingmagnitudeandorientationradiomicdescriptorforevaluatingresponsetoneoadjuvanttherapyinrectalcancersviamri
AT kristinayoung novelstructuralmodelingmagnitudeandorientationradiomicdescriptorforevaluatingresponsetoneoadjuvanttherapyinrectalcancersviamri
AT anantmadabhushi novelstructuralmodelingmagnitudeandorientationradiomicdescriptorforevaluatingresponsetoneoadjuvanttherapyinrectalcancersviamri
AT eduardoromero novelstructuralmodelingmagnitudeandorientationradiomicdescriptorforevaluatingresponsetoneoadjuvanttherapyinrectalcancersviamri
AT pallavitiwari novelstructuralmodelingmagnitudeandorientationradiomicdescriptorforevaluatingresponsetoneoadjuvanttherapyinrectalcancersviamri
AT satisheviswanath novelstructuralmodelingmagnitudeandorientationradiomicdescriptorforevaluatingresponsetoneoadjuvanttherapyinrectalcancersviamri