title: Rectal cancer: 3D dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI; correlation with microvascular density and clinicopathological features.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The primary aim of this prospective study was to evaluate the relationship between three-dimensional dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance (3D-DCE-MR) imaging parameters and clinicopathological features of rectal cancer and assess their potential as new radiological prognostic predictors.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three-dimensional DCE-MR was performed on 26 cases of pathologically proved rectal adenocarcinoma 1 week prior to operation. Data were analysed to calculate transfer constant (Ktrans), leakage space (Ve) and rate constant (Kep) of both tumour and normal rectal wall. Microvessel density (MVD) was evaluated by immunohistochemical staining of surgical specimens. All findings were analysed prospectively and correlated with tumour/node/metastasis (TNM) staging, Dukes staging, histological grading, presence of lymph node metastasis, serosal involvement and MVD.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean Ktrans, Ve and Kep for tumours were as follows: Ktrans 7.123±3.850/min, Ve 14.2±3.0%, Kep 49.446±20.404/min, revealing the significant difference between the tumour and normal rectal wall (p=0.001). There was a significant difference for Ktrans not only between patients with and without lymphatic involvement (p=0.000), but also among Dukes staging (p=0.04) and pTNM staging (p=0.03). Kep showed moderate correlation with TNM stages (r=0.479, p=0.02). Ve and MVD revealed no significant correlation with the clinicopathological findings described above (p>0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Owing to the moderate and strong relationship between Ktrans and clinicopathological elements, Ktrans might be the prognostic indicator of rectal cancer. Threedimensional DCE high-resolution MR imaging provides a competing opportunity to assess contrast kinetics.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Shanghai No. 6 People's Hospital affiliated to Shanghai Jiaotong University, 600 Yishan Road, Shanghai, 200233, China.
authors.forename: W W
authors.initials: WW
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ding
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fu
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Jia
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pang
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Q
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Pan
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D003287:Contrast Media; D005260:Female; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008833:Microcirculation; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012004:Rectal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA