title: Preoperatively evaluating the correlation between pathological grades and blood oxygenation level-dependent MRI in clear cell renal cell carcinomas.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess whether r(2)* values can be used to determine the nuclear grade of clear cell renal cell carcinomas (CRCC).
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 26 patients with pathologically proven CRCCs underwent blood oxygen level-dependent magnetic resonance imaging. r(2)* values were determined for the solid components of CRCC lesions. Histological nuclear grade was determined for each lesion. All patients were divided into low- and high-grade groups. r(2)* values were compared between different grades and between low- and high- grade groups. Receiver operating characteristic curve was drawn to establish the cutoff point for r(2)* values. The correlation between r(2)* values and pathological groups was assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Low-grade group (grades I + II) contained 17 cases and high-grade group (grades III + IV) contained nine cases. The intraclass correlation coefficient for r(2)* values was 0.89. Significant difference was seen between different grades (P < .005). r(2)* values of the high-grade group were higher than the low-grade group (P < .005). A sensitivity of 78% and a specificity of 100% were achieved with a cutoff of 31.87 seconds(-1). r(2)* values directly correlated with pathological groups (P < .005).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  r(2)* values of CRCCs could be employed as a noninvasive biomarker to help classify the nuclear grade of CRCC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Affiliated Third Hospital of Suzhou University, 185 JuQian Road, Changzhou, Jiangsu 213003, China.
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Jiule
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ding
authors.forename: Changping
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Xing
authors.forename: Jingting
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Tongbing
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Jiani
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002292:Carcinoma, Renal Cell / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods; D007680:Kidney Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010092:Oximetry / Q000379:methods*; D010100:Oxygen / Q000097:blood*; D011300:Preoperative Care; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D010100:Oxygen