Correlation of dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI derived volume transfer constant with histological angiogenic markers in high-grade gliomas

Ningning Di; Chenjun Yao; Wenna Cheng; Yan Ren; Jianxun Qu; Bin Wang; Zhenwei Yao

doi:10.1111/1754-9485.12701

Correlation of dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI derived volume transfer constant with histological angiogenic markers in high-grade gliomas

J Med Imaging Radiat Oncol. 2018 Jan 13. doi: 10.1111/1754-9485.12701. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Ningning Di^{1

2}, Chenjun Yao³, Wenna Cheng⁴, Yan Ren², Jianxun Qu⁵, Bin Wang⁶, Zhenwei Yao²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Radiology, Binzhou Medical University Hospital, Binzhou, China.
² Department of Radiology, Huashan Hospital Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
³ Department of Neurosurgery, Huashan Hospital Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
⁴ Department of Pharmacy, Binzhou Medical University Affiliated Hospital, Binzhou, China.
⁵ GE Healthcare, Shanghai, China.
⁶ Department of Medical Imaging and Nuclear Medicine, Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, China.

PMID: 29330968
DOI: 10.1111/1754-9485.12701

Abstract

Introduction: To ascertain if the volume transfer constant (K^trans ) derived from T1 dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) correlates with the immunohistological markers of angiogenesis in high-grade gliomas.

Methods: Fifty-one image-guided biopsy specimens in 34 patients with newly presenting high-grade gliomas (grade III = 16; grade IV = 18) underwent preoperative imaging (conventional imaging and T1 DCE-MRI). We correlated vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression and the microvessel density (MVD) of MRI-guided biopsy specimens with the corresponding DCE-derived K^trans . Histological sections were stained with VEGF and CD34, and examined under light microscopy. These histological and molecular markers of angiogenesis were correlated with the K^trans of the region of interest corresponding to the biopsy specimen.

Results: The K^trans showed a significant positive correlation with VEGF expression (ρ = 0.582, P = 0.001) but not with MVD stained with CD34 antibody (ρ = 0.328, P = 0.072).

Conclusion: The K^trans derived from DCE-MRI can reflect the VEGF expression of high-grade gliomas but not the MVD.

Keywords: MRI; high-grade glioma; microvascular density; vascular endothelial growth factor; volume transfer constant.