Ijin Joo MD, Presenter: Nothing to Disclose

Jeong Min Lee MD, Abstract Co-Author: Research Grant, Guerbet SA Equipment support, Siemens AG Research Grant, Bayer AG

Joon Koo Han MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Byung Ihn Choi MD, PhD, Abstract Co-Author: Research Consultant, Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

To investigate the feasibility of dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) for perfusion quantification of gastric cancers, and to correlate DCE-MRI parameters with pathological prognostic factors.

This prospective study was approved by our institutional review board, and informed consent was obtained from each patient. Twenty-seven patients with gastric cancers underwent free-breathing radial DCE-MRI at 3T scanner followed by surgery. Quantitative DCE-MRI parameters (Ktrans, Kep, Ve, and iAUC) of gastric cancer and normal wall were measured. DCE-MRI parameters of gastric cancer were compared with those of normal gastric wall by using paired t-test. The relationship between DCE-MRI parameters and pathological prognostic factors of gastric cancers including T- and N-staging, histological grades, and grades of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) expression were evaluated by using the Student t-test or the Spearman rank correlation test.

DCE-MRIs were of diagnostic quality in 22 patients (22/27, 81.5%), and failed in 5 patients due to bowel peristalsis. Ve and iAUC were significantly higher in gastric cancer than normal gastric wall (P<.05). Ve was significantly correlated with T-staging (rho=0.49, P=.02), and was significantly higher in poorly-differentiated carcinoma than well- or moderately-differentiated carcinoma (P<.05). Ktrans was significantly correlated with grades of EGFR expression (rho=0.466, P=.03). None of DCE-MRI parameters of gastric cancer showed significant difference according to N-staging.

DCE-MRI is technically feasible for quantification of perfusion dynamics of gastric cancers, and DCE-MRI parameters of gastric cancers may be valuable prognostic indicators correlated with pathological features. 

Perfusion characteristics of gastric cancers can be quantitatively measured by free-breathing DCE-MRI, and DCE-MRI parameters may provide prognostic information in patients with gastric cancers. 

Joo, I, Lee, J, Han, J, Choi, B, Dynamic Contrast-enhanced MRI in Gastric Cancer: Correlation of Perfusion Parameters with Pathological Prognostic Factors.  Radiological Society of North America 2014 Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting, - ,Chicago IL. http://archive.rsna.org/2014/14002446.html