title: Dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma at 3.0-T magnetic resonance: correlation with histopathology.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to discuss the correlation of quantitative dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (QDCE-MRI) at 3.0-T magnetic resonance and histopathology for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA).
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-three patients with histopathologically proven PDA were included in this study after 75 cases of suspected pancreatic tumors had been performed by QDCE-MRI. The quantitative kinetic parameters analyzed by 2-compartment and 3-compartment models were calculated automatically, which included the volume transfer constant of the contrast agent, the rate constant (Kep), the volume as a percentage of the extravascular extracellular leakage space, the time of arrival of contrast agent, the time of peaking of contrast agent, the maximum slope of signal intensity ascent, and the contrast enhancement ratio. According to magnetic resonance images, tissue section were selected and stained for evaluating tumor differentiation, tumor fibrosis, tumor microvessel density, the expression of tumor vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and Ki67. Subsequently, the relationship between the parameters of QDCE-MRI and histopathology of PDA was analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The tumor Kep and extravascular extracellular leakage space showed a statistically significant correlation with tumor fibrosis; the tumor volume transfer constant of the contrast agent 2-compartment showed a statistically significant correlation with the expressions of tumor VEGF; and the tumor Kep, maximum slope of signal intensity ascent, and contrast enhancement ratio showed a statistically significant correlation with the expression of tumor Ki67.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The parameters of QDCE-MRI of PDA can be used to evaluate the degrees of tumor fibrosis and the expressions of VEGF and Ki67.
authors.affiliation: From the *Department of Radiology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, and †Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai; and ‡Department of Radiology, The Affiliated Suzhou Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China.
authors.forename: Kefu
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Ping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.forename: Weijun
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Peng
authors.forename: Zhengrong
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhou
mesh_terms: D021441:Carcinoma, Pancreatic Ductal / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D003198:Computer Simulation; D003287:Contrast Media / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008954:Models, Biological; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013223:Statistics as Topic
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA