T1-weighted dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI as a noninvasive biomarker of epidermal growth factor receptor VIII status

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Epidermal growth factor receptor variant III is a common mutation in glioblastoma, found in approximately 25% of tumors. Epidermal growth factor receptor variant III may accelerate angiogenesis in malignant gliomas. We correlated T1-weighted dynamic contrast-enhanced MR imaging perfusion parameters with epidermal growth factor receptor variant III status. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eighty-two consecutive patients with glioblastoma and known epidermal growth factor receptor variant III status who had dynamic contrast-enhanced MR imaging before surgery were evaluated. Volumes of interest were drawn around the entire enhancing tumor on contrast T1-weighted images and then were transferred onto coregistered dynamic contrast-enhanced MR imaging perfusion maps. Histogram analysis with normalization was performed to determine the relative mean, 75th percentile, and 90th percentile values for plasma volume and contrast transfer coefficient. A Wilcoxon rank sum test was applied to assess the relationship between baseline perfusion parameters and positive epidermal growth factor receptor variant III status. The receiver operating characteristic method was used to select the cutoffs of the dynamic contrast-enhanced MR imaging perfusion parameters. RESULTS: Increased relative plasma volume and increased relative contrast transfer coefficient parameters were both significantly associated with positive epidermal growth factor receptor variant III status. For epidermal growth factor receptor variant III-positive tumors, relative plasma volume mean was 9.3 and relative contrast transfer coefficient mean was 6.5; for epidermal growth factor receptor variant III-negative tumors, relative plasma volume mean was 3.6 and relative contrast transfer coefficient mean was 3.7 (relative plasma volume mean, P < .001, and relative contrast transfer coefficient mean, P = .008). The predictive powers of relative plasma volume histogram metrics outperformed those of the relative contrast transfer coefficient histogram metrics (P