Differentiation of grade II and III oligodendrogliomas from grade II and III astrocytomas: a histogram analysis of perfusion parameters derived from dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE) and dynamic susceptibility contrast (DSC) MRI.

Background Since oligodendroglial tumors are sensitive to chemotherapy and have a better prognosis, the differentiation of oligodendroglial tumors (OT) from astrocytic tumors (AT) is important. Purpose To investigate the perfusion and permeability parameters that differentiate grade II and III OT from AT, using dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE) and dynamic susceptibility contrast (DSC) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Material and Methods We retrospectively reviewed the DCE and DSC MRIs of 39 patients with OT (OTs, n = 19; grade II, n = 12 and grade III, n = 7) and AT (ATs, n = 20; grade II, n = 7 and grade III, n = 13). Glioblastomas were not included. Various histogram parameters of relative cerebral blood volume, volume transfer constant (Ktrans), flux rate constant (Kep), plasma volume fraction (Vp), and extravascular extracellular volume fraction (Ve) from DSC and DCE MRI, were compared between the two groups. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression were used to distinguish OT from AT. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was performed. Results On the results of DCE MRI, most of the histogram parameters of Ktrans, Kep, and Ve showed tendencies toward higher values in OT than AT. Multivariable logistic regression revealed that the 50th Kep and 95th Ktrans were the most significant parameters predictive of OT, with an odds ratio of 3.7 and 2.5, respectively ( P = 0.004 and 0.03). The area under the curve from the ROC curve analysis for the 50th Kep and the 95th Ktrans were 0.81 and 0.80, respectively. Conclusion The DCE MRI-derived parameters of Ktrans and Kep could facilitate differentiation of OT from AT.