Primary Rectal Cancer: Repeatability of Global and Local-Regional MR Imaging Texture Features

Radiology. 2017 Aug;284(2):552-561. doi: 10.1148/radiol.2017161375. Epub 2017 May 5.

Abstract

Purpose To assess the day-to-day repeatability of global and local-regional magnetic resonance (MR) imaging texture features derived from primary rectal cancer. Materials and Methods After ethical approval and patient informed consent were obtained, two pretreatment T2-weighted axial MR imaging studies performed prospectively with the same imaging unit on 2 consecutive days in 14 patients with rectal cancer (11 men [mean age, 61.7 years], three women [mean age, 70.0 years]) were analyzed to extract (a) global first-order statistical histogram and model-based fractal features reflecting the whole-tumor voxel intensity histogram distribution and repeating patterns, respectively, without spatial information and (b) local-regional second-order and high-order statistical texture features reflecting the intensity and spatial interrelationships between adjacent in-plane or multiplanar voxels or regions, respectively. Repeatability was assessed for 46 texture features, and mean difference, 95% limits of agreement, within-subject coefficient of variation (wCV), and repeatability coefficient (r) were recorded. Results Repeatability was better for global parameters than for most local-regional parameters. In particular, histogram mean, median, and entropy, fractal dimension mean and standard deviation, and second-order entropy, homogeneity, difference entropy, and inverse difference moment demonstrated good repeatability, with narrow limits of agreement and wCVs of 10% or lower. Repeatability was poorest for the following high-order gray-level run-length (GLRL) gray-level zone size matrix (GLZSM) and neighborhood gray-tone difference matrix (NGTDM) parameters: GLRL intensity variability, GLZSM short-zone emphasis, GLZSM intensity nonuniformity, GLZSM intensity variability, GLZSM size zone variability, and NGTDM complexity, demonstrating wider agreement limits and wCVs of 50% or greater. Conclusion MR imaging repeatability is better for global texture parameters than for local-regional texture parameters, indicating that global texture parameters should be sufficiently robust for clinical practice. Online supplemental material is available for this article.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Contrast Media
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging / methods*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Neoplasm Staging
  • Prospective Studies
  • Rectal Neoplasms / diagnostic imaging*
  • Rectal Neoplasms / pathology
  • Rectal Neoplasms / therapy
  • Reproducibility of Results

Substances

  • Contrast Media