Microvessel density in invasive breast cancer assessed by dynamic gd‐dtpa enhanced MRI

Abstract

It has been postulated that the rapid enhancement demonstrated by breast carcinomas after administration of contrast media is a direct result of tumor angiogenesis. However, to date, little quantitative data have been published to support this view. A retrospective study has been undertaken to compare dynamic contrast-enhanced data obtained from 40 patients with microvessel density (MVD) evaluated in specimens immunohistochemically stained with a factor VIII related antigen. The dynamic data were analyzed quantitatively using both simple indices of enhancement and a two-compartment kinetic model. A moderate but significant correlation was demonstrated between initial enhancement and MVD, and this correlation strengthened when node-positive tumors were considered in isolation (r = .77, P < .0005). However, the data showed considerable variability. The enhancement characteristics of the tumors could not be explained solely by their MVD; therefore, MRI cannot be used to predict MVD in vivo. Further work is required to address the exact relationship between contrast-enhanced MRI and tumor angiogenesis.

Uncertainty in the analysis of tracer kinetics using dynamic contrast‐enhanced T1‐weighted MRI

“…Model 3, recently described by St. Lawrence and Lee (21), potentially enables the estimation of F p and PS separately: [3] where is the mean capillary transit time (ϭ V p /F p ). Model 1 has two unknown parameters that may be estimated by curve fitting: the product EF p and the interstitial volume V e .…”

“…In tandem with the technological advances that have enabled improved data acquisition, a number of investigators have employed physiological models to facilitate data interpretation. While the use of these models has found numerous applications (e.g., in studies of tumor physiology (1) and myocardial perfusion (2)), and a number of groups have assessed the potential of model parameters as surrogate markers (3,4), little has been published that addresses the direct interpretation of these results. Specifically, how do the estimates obtained using the various models compare with the physiological parameters they purport to measure?…”

DCE‐MRI pixel‐by‐pixel quantitative curve pattern analysis and its application to osteosarcoma

“…DCE-MRI images are acquired before, during, and after intravenous injection of a gadolinium (Gd) contrast agent to assess the vascular characteristics of tissues. A series of clinical studies has shown that DCE-MRI can be used to characterize different types of lesions and to differentiate between malignant and benign lesions (1)(2)(3)(4). Recently, DCE-MRI has been used to assess cancer drug efficacy by comparing findings from imaging acquired before and after therapy (5,6).…”

Method for quantitative mapping of dynamic MRI contrast agent uptake in human tumors

“…Its diagnostic value in tumor detection, identification, and staging has been shown in breast tumors (1)(2)(3), cervix tumors (4), and prostate carcinoma (5)(6)(7). Also, tumor treatment response has been monitored by DCE-MRI (8 -10), and comparison with histology showed a relationship of DCE-MRI data with angiogenic characteristics such as microvessel density (6,7,11).…”