Open AccessCorrelation Between Apparent Diffusion Coefficient Value on MRI and Histopathologic WHO Grades of Neuroendocrine Tumors
Author(s) -
Wouter Mebis,
Annemiek Snoeckx,
B. Corthouts,
Haroun El Addouli,
Simon Nicolay,
Astrid Van Hoyweghen,
Maarten Spinhoven,
Bart Op de Beeck
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
journal of the belgian society of radiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.232
H-Index - 24
ISSN - 2514-8281
DOI - 10.5334/jbsr.1925
Subject(s) - medicine , effective diffusion coefficient , radiology , diffusion mri , correlation , neuroendocrine tumors , pathology , value (mathematics) , magnetic resonance imaging , correlation coefficient , nuclear medicine , statistics , geometry , mathematics
Background: The correlation of diffusion-weighted MRI and tumor aggressiveness has been established for different tumor types, which leads to the question if it could also apply for neuroendocrine tumors (NET). Purpose: To investigate the possible correlation between apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) value on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and histopathologic WHO-grades of NET. Material and Methods: Electronic patient records from patients presented at the multidisciplinary neuro-endocrine tumor board between November 2017 and April 2019 were retrospectively reviewed. Patients with both available MR imaging (primary tumor or metastasis) and known WHO tumor grade were included (n = 47). Average and minimum ADC values (avgADC; minADC) were measured by drawing a freehand ROI excluding only the outermost border of the lesion. The largest axial size (primary tumor) or most clearly delineated lesion (metastasis) was used. Results: Forty seven patients met the inclusion criteria (mean age 59 ± 12 SD; 24F/23M). Twenty one patients (45%) were diagnosed with WHO G1 tumor, 17 seventeen with G2 (36%) and nine with G3 (19%) tumor. Twenty eight primary tumors and 19 metastases were measured. A significant difference was found between low-grade (G1+G2) and high-grade (G3) tumors (Mann-Whitney; avgADC: p < 0,001; minADC: p = 0,001). There was a moderate negative correlation between WHO-grade and avgADC/minADC (Spearman; avgADC: –0,606; 95% CI [–0,773; –0,384]; minADC: –0,581; 95% CI [–0.759; –0.353]). Conclusion: Our data show a significant difference in both average and minimum ADC values on MRI between low and high grade NET. A moderate negative correlation was found between histopathologic WHO grade and ADC value.