Semiquantitative analysis of dynamic contrast enhanced MRI in cancer patients: Variability and changes in tumor tissue over time

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Abstract
Purpose To evaluate variability of a simplified method for measuring semiquantitative DCE‐MRI parameters in patients with cancer and to explore effects of treatment with a putative anti‐angiogenic compound. Materials and Methods A total of 19 patients enrolled on treatment trials with the putative anti‐angiogenic agent SU5416 underwent contrast enhanced examinations, and 11 had a second examination eight weeks post therapy. Contrast media concentration as a function of time was calculated using changes in signal and literature baseline T1 values in normal muscle or liver reference tissue. Semiquantitative DCE‐MRI parameters, including the area under the contrast concentration vs. time curve (AUC), were calculated for regions‐of‐interest in normal liver and muscle, and in tumors. Results The coefficients of variation for pretherapy parameters in normal tissue were 11% to 37%. No significant changes were detected in normal liver over two months of therapy. In tumors and muscle, a significant decrease in the AUC and maximum contrast concentration was observed. Conclusion Variability of semiquantitative DCE‐MRI parameters utilizing a method based on known T1 values in a reference tissue is low enough to detect changes in tumors during therapy. Use of this method as a pharmacodynamic marker should be further investigated. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2004;20:122–128.

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