Assessment of the vascularity of uterine leiomyomas using double-echo dynamic perfusion-weighted MRI with the first-pass pharmacokinetic model: correlation with histopathology.
OBJECTIVE
To retrospectively evaluate the feasibility of perfusion-weighted MRI (PWI) in uterine leiomyomas.


METHODS
: Eighteen uterine leiomyomas in 15 patients were evaluated. PWI was performed using a double-echo T2*-weighted spoiled gradient-recalled acquisition sequence, and the first-pass pharmacokinetic model was applied to calculate relative blood volume (rBV). Histopathologic analysis was performed to measure vascular area (VA).


RESULTS
PWI was successful in 13 of 15 patients. On quantitative analysis, mean (+/-SD) rBV calculated from PWI was 0.17 +/- 0.13 (range, 0.06-0.55), whereas mean VA was 3.3% +/- 1.6% (range, 1.7-8.5%). A significant correlation was identified between rBV and VA (r = 0.87, P < 0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
The rBV determined at PWI correlates with histologic vascular area in uterine leiomyomas.
Kosaka
Nobuyuki
N
Department of Radiology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Fukui, Fukui, Japan. nkosaka@fmsrsa.fukui-med.ac.jp
Uematsu
Hidemasa
H
Kimura
Hirohiko
H
Ishimori
Yoshiyuki
Y
Kurokawa
Tetsuji
T
Matsuda
Tsuyoshi
T
Itoh
Harumi
H
D000328:Adult; D003198:Computer Simulation; D003287:Contrast Media / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D017352:Echo-Planar Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods; D007889:Leiomyoma / Q000098:blood supply / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D008954:Models, Biological; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D010477:Perfusion; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014594:Uterine Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology
D003287:Contrast Media; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA