title: MRI texture analysis parameters of contrast-enhanced T1-weighted images of Crohn's disease differ according to the presence or absence of histological markers of hypoxia and angiogenesis.
abstract: To investigate if texture analysis parameters of contrast-enhanced MRI differ according to the presence of histological markers of hypoxia and angiogenesis in Crohn's disease (CD).
  
  
  
  Seven CD patients (mean age 38 (19-75), 3 male)) undergoing ileal resection underwent 3T MR enterography including axial ultrafast spoiled gradient-echo T1 post IV gadolinium chelate. Regions of interest were placed in bowel destined for resection and registered to trans-mural histological sections (n = 28 across 7 bowel sections) via MRI of the resected specimen. Microvessel density (MVD) and staining for markers of hypoxia (HIF 1α) and angiogenesis (VEGF) were performed. Texture analysis features were derived utilizing an image filtration-histogram technique at spatial scaling factor (SSF) 0-6 mm, including mean, standard deviation, mean of positive pixels, entropy, kurtosis and skewness and compared according to the presence or absence of histological markers of hypoxia/angiogenesis using Mann-Whitney U/Kruskal-Wallis tests and with the log of MVD using simple linear regression.
  
  
  
  Mean, standard deviation and mean of positive pixels were significantly lower in sections expressing VEGF. For example at SSF 6 mm, median (inter-quartile range) of mean, standard deviation and mean of positive pixels in those with VEGF expression were 150.1 (134.7), 132.4 (49.2) and 184.0 (91.4) vs. 362.5 (150.2), 216.3 (100.1) and 416.6 (80.0) in those without (p = 0.001, p = 0.004 and p = 0.001), respectively. There was a significant association between skewness and MVD (ratio 1.97 (1.15-3.41)) at SSF = 2 mm.
  
  
  
  Contrast-enhanced MRI texture analysis features significantly differ according to the presence or absence of histological markers of hypoxia and angiogenesis in CD.
authors: Centre for Medical Imaging, University College London, 250 Euston Road, London, NW1 2BU, UK.
authors: Gauraang
authors: G
authors: Bhatnagar
authors: Centre for Medical Imaging, University College London, 250 Euston Road, London, NW1 2BU, UK.
authors: Jesica
authors: J
authors: Makanyanga
authors: Institute of Nuclear Medicine, University College London, London, UK.
authors: Balaji
authors: B
authors: Ganeshan
authors: Institute of Nuclear Medicine, University College London, London, UK.
authors: Ashley
authors: A
authors: Groves
authors: Histopathology Department, University College London Hospitals, London, UK.
authors: Manuel
authors: M
authors: Rodriguez-Justo
authors: Centre for Medical Imaging, University College London, 250 Euston Road, London, NW1 2BU, UK.
authors: Steve
authors: S
authors: Halligan
authors: Centre for Medical Imaging, University College London, 250 Euston Road, London, NW1 2BU, UK. stuart.taylor1@nhs.net.
authors: Stuart A
authors: SA
authors: Taylor
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003287:Contrast Media; D003424:Crohn Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D000860:Hypoxia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology*; D011446:Prospective Studies
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media
keywords: Angiogenesis; Crohn’s disease; Hypoxia; MR enterography; Texture analysis