Correlation of apparent diffusion coefficient and intravoxel incoherent motion imaging parameters with Ki-67...

To investigate the correlation of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) and intravoxel incoherent motion imaging parameters with Ki-67 expression in cholangiocarcinoma.

A total of 42 extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (EHCC) cases confirmed by surgical pathology were analyzed retrospectively. Subjects underwent MRI at 3.0 T and intravoxel incoherent motion diffusion-weighted imaging (IVIM-DWI) sequential scanning prior to surgery, and postoperative Ki-67 expression was recorded by immunohistochemistry (IHC). The patients were divided into 4 groups (I-IV) based on increasing Ki-67 expression from - to +++. ADC values and IVIM-DWI parameters were calculated, including true diffusion coefficient (D), perfusion fraction (f), and pseudo-diffusion coefficient (D*). The comparison among groups was analyzed by univariate ANOVA (normal distribution) or Kruskal-Wallis H (non-normal distribution). Spearman correlation analysis was used to analyze the correlation of each parameter with Ki-67 expression. The diagnostic efficiency of each parameter was compared using the area under the curve (AUC) of the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve.

Except for D*, other values had statistically significant differences between groups (P < 0.05). ADC, D and f values had negative correlations with Ki-67 expression (r values were -0.607, -0.795, -0.531, respectively, P < 0.05). The AUCs were 0.701, 0.880, 0.623, respectively (P < 0.0001).

IVIM-DWI technology can reflect the proliferative activity of EHCC cells to a certain extent, and has clinical value for predicting the degree of malignancy of a tumor.