title: Pilot study on evaluation of any correlation between MR perfusion (Ktrans) and diffusion (apparent diffusion coefficient) parameters in brain tumors at 3 Tesla.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess any correlation of volume transfer constant (Ktrans) with apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) in different brain tumor types at 3 T magnetic resonance (MR) imaging.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirteen patients with brain tumors (8 men, 5 women; mean age 54.6±17.7 years) were enrolled in this retrospective study. All patients underwent dynamic contrast-enhanced T1-weighted MR perfusion and diffusion-weighted imaging using a 3 T scanner. Ktrans was estimated by specially designed software. For each tumor, regions of interest (ROIs) were manually selected on corresponding Ktrans and ADC maps. Pearson correlation coefficients were obtained for maximum, mean and minimum values of Ktrans and ADC of all ROIs. Based on clinicopathologic results, the final diagnoses of patients were glioblastoma multiforme (3), low-grade to anaplastic gliomas (4), meningiomas (3) and metastatic tumors (3).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Ktrans(max) values were significantly inversely correlated with ADC(min) values (r=-0.536, P<0.001) and ADC(mean) values (r=-0.465, P<0.001). Ktrans(mean) and Ktrans(min) values were significantly inversely correlated with ADC(mean) (r=-0.228, P=0.038) and ADC(max) values (r=-0.355, P=0.001), respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We found that irrespective of brain tumor type, there is an inverse correlation between ADC and Ktrans. Our findings highlight an intricate relationship between vascular permeability and the tumor microenvironment, probably modulating and/or interacting with changes such as increased cellularity, ischemic insult and varying extracellular matrix composition.
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnostic Radiology, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: Jian-Ping
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Chu
authors.forename: Henry Ka-Fung
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Mak
authors.forename: Kelvin Kai-Wing
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Yau
authors.forename: Linda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Janice
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tsang
authors.forename: Queenie
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: Gilberto
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ka-Kit Leung
mesh_terms: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001812:Blood-Brain Barrier; D001834:Body Water; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology* / Q000556:secondary; D002199:Capillary Permeability; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000098:blood supply / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary; D004058:Diffusion; D038524:Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D005109:Extracellular Matrix / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005909:Glioblastoma / Q000098:blood supply / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D005910:Glioma / Q000098:blood supply / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007511:Ischemia / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008577:Meningeal Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008579:Meningioma / Q000098:blood supply / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D010477:Perfusion; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D059016:Tumor Microenvironment
chemical_list: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones