BACKGROUND: Dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE MRI) can characterize perfusion and vascularization of tissues. DCE MRI parameters can differentiate between malignant and benign lesions and predict tumor grading. The purpose of this study was to correlate DCE MRI findings and various histopathological parameters in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Sixteen patients with histologically proven HNSCC (11 cases primary tumors and in 5 patients with local tumor recurrence) were included in the study. DCE imaging was performed in all cases and the following parameters were estimated: Ktrans, Ve, Kep, and iAUC. The tumor proliferation index was estimated on Ki 67 antigen stained specimens. Microvessel density parameters (stained vessel area, total vessel area, number of vessels, and mean vessel diameter) were estimated on CD31 antigen stained specimens. Spearman's non-parametric rank sum correlation coefficients were calculated between DCE and different histopathological parameters. RESULTS: The mean values of DCE perfusion parameters were as follows: Ktrans 0.189 ± 0.056 min−1, Kep 0.390 ± 0.160 min−1, Ve 0.548 ± 0.119%, and iAUC 22.40 ± 12.57. Significant correlations were observed between Kep and stained vessel areas (r = 0.51, P = .041) and total vessel areas (r = 0.5118, P = .043); between Ve and mean vessel diameter (r = −0.59, P = .017). Cell count had a tendency to correlate with Ve (r = −0.48, P = .058). In an analysis of the primary HNSCC only, a significant inverse correlation between Ktrans and KI 67 was identified (r = −0.62, P = .041). Our analysis showed significant correlations between DCE parameters and histopathological findings in HNSCC.

Intramedullary mature teratomas particularly in adults are rarely encountered. In this manuscript the authors have reviewed the adult intramedullary lesions of the spinal cord published in the literature that are harbouring the characteristics of a mature teratoma and analysed the results with respect to histopathology, epidemiology, diagnostic methods and treatment. An illustrative case of an extremely unusual localization is also presented.

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Pre-surgical diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) is increasingly important in the context of thyroid cancer for identification of the optimal treatment strategy. It has exemplarily been shown that DWI at 3T can distinguish undifferentiated from well-differentiated thyroid carcinoma, which has decisive implications for the magnitude of surgery. This study used DWI histogram analysis of whole tumor apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) maps. The primary aim was to discriminate thyroid carcinomas which had already gained the capacity to metastasize lymphatically from those not yet being able to spread via the lymphatic system. The secondary aim was to reflect prognostically important tumor-biological features like cellularity and proliferative activity with ADC histogram analysis. Fifteen patients with follicular-cell derived thyroid cancer were enrolled. Lymph node status, extent of infiltration of surrounding tissue, and Ki-67 and p53 expression were assessed in these patients. DWI was obtained in a 3T system using b values of 0, 400, and 800 s/mm2. Whole tumor ADC volumes were analyzed using a histogram-based approach. Several ADC parameters showed significant correlations with immunohistopathological parameters. Most importantly, ADC histogram skewness and ADC histogram kurtosis were able to differentiate between nodal negative and nodal positive thyroid carcinoma. Conclusions: histogram analysis of whole ADC tumor volumes has the potential to provide valuable information on tumor biology in thyroid carcinoma. However, further studies are warranted.

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The main finding of our study is the discriminability of nodal-positive from nodal-negative CC using ADC histogram analysis in 3T DWI. This information is crucial for the gynecological surgeon to identify the optimal treatment strategy for patients suffering from CC. Furthermore, ADCentropy was identified as a potential imaging biomarker for tumor heterogeneity and might be able to indicate further molecular changes like loss of p53 expression, which is associated with EMT and consequentially indicates a poor prognosis in CC. Finally, our study confirmed the findings of previous works, which indicated that histogram analysis of ADC maps can distinguish between low-grade and high-grade CC. In conclusion, it can be stated that ADC histogram analysis provides additional, prognostically important information on tumor biology in CC.

Sarcopenia appears to be associated with risk of major complication after radical nephrectomy for advanced kidney cancer. It was not related to overall survival, however. This preoperative imaging tool may be helpful in preoperative counseling and preparation.

Our purpose was to correlate different intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM), histopathological and clinical parameters in rectal cancer. 17 patients with histologically proven rectal cancer investigated on a 3.T device were included into the study. DWI was performed using a multi-slice single-shot echo-planar imaging sequence with b values of 0, 50, 200, 500 and 1000 s/mm.2 A polygonal region of interest was drawn within the tumors on every b image. The following parameters were retrieved from IVIM: apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC), true diffusion (D), pseudo diffusion coefficient (D*), perfusion factor (f), and relative perfusion f·D*. In every case, cell count, nucleic areas, proliferation index KI 67, and microvessel density were estimated on histopathological specimens. Pearson's correlation coefficient was used to analyze the association between the parameters. ADC correlated well with KI 67 index and D tended to correlate with cell count and KI 67. ADC and D tended to correlate with total nucleic area. The perfusion factor f correlated well with stained vessel area, total vessel area, and vessel count. D* and fD* correlated with mean vessel diameter. Distant metastasized tumors had higher D* and fD* values. IVIM parameter reflected different clinical and histopathological features in rectal cancer.