Dynamic Contrast-Enhanced Magnetic Resonance Imaging for Measuring Perfusion in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma and Different Tumor Grade: A Preliminary Single Center Study

Inga Zaborienė; Vestina Strakšytė; Povilas Ignatavičius; Giedrius Barauskas; Rūta Dambrauskienė; Kristina Žvinienė

doi:10.3390/diagnostics13030521

Dynamic Contrast-Enhanced Magnetic Resonance Imaging for Measuring Perfusion in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma and Different Tumor Grade: A Preliminary Single Center Study

Diagnostics (Basel). 2023 Jan 31;13(3):521. doi: 10.3390/diagnostics13030521.

Authors

Inga Zaborienė¹, Vestina Strakšytė¹, Povilas Ignatavičius², Giedrius Barauskas², Rūta Dambrauskienė³, Kristina Žvinienė¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Radiology, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, LT-50161 Kaunas, Lithuania.
² Department of Surgery, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, LT-50161 Kaunas, Lithuania.
³ Department of Oncology and Hematology, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, LT-50161 Kaunas, Lithuania.

Abstract

Background: Dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging is a noninvasive imaging modality that can supply information regarding the tumor anatomy and physiology. The aim of the study was to analyze DCE-MRI perfusion parameters in normal pancreatic parenchymal tissue and PDAC and to evaluate the efficacy of this diagnostic modality in determining the tumor grade.

Methods: A single-center retrospective study was performed. A total of 28 patients with histologically proven PDAC underwent DCE-MRI; the control group enrolled 14 patients with normal pancreatic parenchymal tissue; the radiological findings were compared with histopathological data. The study patients were further grouped according to the differentiation grade (G value): well- and moderately differentiated and poorly differentiated PDAC.

Results: The median values of K^trans, k_ep and iAUC were calculated lower in PDAC compared with the normal pancreatic parenchymal tissue (p < 0.05). The mean value of Ve was higher in PDAC, compared with the normal pancreatic tissue (p < 0.05). K^trans, k_ep and iAUC were lower in poorly differentiated PDAC, whereas Ve showed no differences between groups.

Conclusions: Ve and iAUC DCE-MRI perfusion parameters are important as independent diagnostic criteria predicting the probability of PDAC; the Ktrans and iAUC DCE-MRI perfusion parameters may serve as effective independent prognosticators preoperatively identifying poorly differentiated PDAC.

Keywords: dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI; pancreatic adenocarcinoma; tumor grade.

Grants and funding

This research received no external funding.