Validation of vessel size imaging (VSI) in high-grade human gliomas using magnetic resonance imaging, image-guided biopsies, and quantitative immunohistochemistry

Ararat Chakhoyan; Jingwen Yao; Kevin Leu; Whitney B Pope; Noriko Salamon; William Yong; Albert Lai; Phioanh L Nghiemphu; Richard G Everson; Robert M Prins; Linda M Liau; David A Nathanson; Timothy F Cloughesy; Benjamin M Ellingson

doi:10.1038/s41598-018-37564-w

Validation of vessel size imaging (VSI) in high-grade human gliomas using magnetic resonance imaging, image-guided biopsies, and quantitative immunohistochemistry

Sci Rep. 2019 Feb 26;9(1):2846. doi: 10.1038/s41598-018-37564-w.

Authors

Ararat Chakhoyan^{1

2}, Jingwen Yao^{1

2

3}, Kevin Leu^{1

2}, Whitney B Pope², Noriko Salamon², William Yong⁴, Albert Lai⁵, Phioanh L Nghiemphu⁵, Richard G Everson⁶, Robert M Prins⁶, Linda M Liau⁶, David A Nathanson⁷, Timothy F Cloughesy⁵, Benjamin M Ellingson^{8

9

10

11}

Affiliations

¹ UCLA Brain Tumor Imaging Laboratory (BTIL), Center for Computer Vision and Imaging Biomarkers, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
² Department of Radiological Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
³ Department of Bioengineering, Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
⁴ Division of Neuropathology, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
⁵ Department of Neurology, Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
⁶ Department of Neurosurgery, Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
⁷ Department of Molecular and Medical Pharmacology, David Geffen UCLA School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
⁸ UCLA Brain Tumor Imaging Laboratory (BTIL), Center for Computer Vision and Imaging Biomarkers, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA. bellingson@mednet.ucla.edu.
⁹ Department of Radiological Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA. bellingson@mednet.ucla.edu.
¹⁰ Department of Bioengineering, Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA. bellingson@mednet.ucla.edu.
¹¹ UCLA Neuro Oncology Program, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA. bellingson@mednet.ucla.edu.

Abstract

To evaluate the association between a vessel size index (VSI_MRI) derived from dynamic susceptibility contrast (DSC) perfusion imaging using a custom spin-and-gradient echo echoplanar imaging (SAGE-EPI) sequence and quantitative estimates of vessel morphometry based on immunohistochemistry from image-guided biopsy samples. The current study evaluated both relative cerebral blood volume (rCBV) and VSI_MRI in eleven patients with high-grade glioma (7 WHO grade III and 4 WHO grade IV). Following 26 MRI-guided glioma biopsies in these 11 patients, we evaluated tissue morphometry, including vessel density and average radius, using an automated procedure based on the endothelial cell marker CD31 to highlight tumor vasculature. Measures of rCBV and VSI_MRI were then compared to histological measures. We demonstrate good agreement between VSI measured by MRI and histology; VSI_MRI = 13.67 μm and VSI_Histology = 12.60 μm, with slight overestimation of VSI_MRI in grade III patients compared to histology. rCBV showed a moderate but significant correlation with vessel density (r = 0.42, p = 0.03), and a correlation was also observed between VSI_MRI and VSI_Histology (r = 0.49, p = 0.01). The current study supports the hypothesis that vessel size measures using MRI accurately reflect vessel caliber within high-grade gliomas, while traditional measures of rCBV are correlated with vessel density and not vessel caliber.

Publication types

Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Blood Vessels / diagnostic imaging*
Blood Vessels / pathology
Blood Volume
Brain Neoplasms / diagnostic imaging
Brain Neoplasms / metabolism
Brain Neoplasms / pathology
Brain Neoplasms / physiopathology
Female
Glioma / diagnostic imaging*
Glioma / metabolism
Glioma / pathology*
Glioma / physiopathology
Humans
Image-Guided Biopsy*
Immunohistochemistry
Magnetic Resonance Imaging*
Male
Middle Aged
Neoplasm Grading
Reproducibility of Results

Abstract

Publication types

MeSH terms

Grants and funding