Dynamic contrast-enhanced 3-T MR imaging in cervical cancer before and after concurrent chemoradiotherapy.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the changes of dynamic contrast-enhanced MR imaging (DCE-MRI) parameters at 3 T in cervical cancer patients before and after concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT), and to correlate the parameters with final tumour response to therapy.


METHODS
Thirty-five patients with cervical cancer underwent DCE-MRI before CCRT, 4 weeks after starting therapy and at 1 month after the end of therapy. DCE-MRI parameters were calculated in the tumour and normal gluteus muscle. Final response to treatment as determined by changes in tumour size and volume was correlated with pre-treatment DCE-MRI parameters.


RESULTS
DCE-MRI parameters (i.e. K                   (trans), v                   (e) and k                   (ep)) in the tumours showed significant changes in response to CCRT (P < 0.05) and in particular K                   (trans) and v                   (e) demonstrated early significant increase (P < 0.01), but those in normal muscle did not show a significant difference (P > 0.05). Before therapy, the mean values of K                   (trans), k                   (ep), v                   (e) and v                   (p) in the tumours were significantly greater than those in muscle (P < 0.05). DCE-MRI parameters of the tumours at pre-treatment were not statistically associated with final tumour size or volume change.


CONCLUSIONS
DCE-MRI parameters may help evaluate early changes of cervical cancer to CCRT, but larger, more definitive studies are needed.


CONCLUSIONS
• DCE-MRI offers new insights into tumour behaviour.                 • Changes in tumour size lag behind biomarkers which improve quickly in responders.                 • DCE-MRI is a non-invasive imaging technique that can characterize tumour vasculature.                 • DCE-MRI of cervical cancer may be useful in monitoring changes with therapy.
Department of Radiology and Center for Imaging Science, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, 50 Ilwon-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Jae-Hun
JH
Kim
Chan Kyo
CK
Kim
Byung Kwan
BK
Park
Sung Yoon
SY
Park
Seung Jae
SJ
Huh
Bohyun
B
Kim
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D059248:Chemoradiotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D003287:Contrast Media / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003952:Diagnostic Imaging / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008875:Middle Aged; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013997:Time Factors; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology* / Q000532:radiotherapy
D003287:Contrast Media; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA