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Correlation between equivalent cross-relaxation rate and cellular density in soft tissue tumors

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Abstract

Objective

Equivalent cross-relaxation rate (ECR) imaging (ECRI), which allows quantitation of macromolecular tissue components, is a potentially useful nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) technique for histopathological diagnosis. The purpose of this study was to compare ECR values among various histological types and assess the correlation between ECR and tumor cellular image in soft tissue tumors.

Materials and methods

We performed ECRI to evaluate cellular images of soft tissue tumors and tumorous lesions. Thirty-three patients who underwent evaluation with MRI and ECRI at the first visit were enrolled. Resection or biopsy was performed to obtain a histopathological diagnosis, followed by cell density measurement. ECR values of the histological subgroups were compared, and the correlation between ECR and cell density was analyzed to assess whether ECR can be used as an indicator of histological cell density.

Results

ECR values for benign tumors varied widely and were not significantly different from those for malignant tumors. However, the mean ECR value was significantly higher for high-grade malignant tumors than for low-grade tumors (p < 0.01). Moreover, a positive correlation was found between ECR and cell density (r s = 0.72; p < 0.01).

Conclusions

ECR reflects the cell density and malignancy grade of a soft tissue tumor. ECRI could provide cellular imaging and useful clinical information to aid the pre-operative diagnosis of soft tissue tumors.

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Conflict of interest

None of the authors has declared any conflicts of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Aichi Cancer Center, Nagoya, Japan

    Shunsuke Hamada, Hideshi Sugiura & Kenji Yamada

  2. Department of Radiology, Aichi Cancer Center, Nagoya, Japan

    Shigeru Matsushima

  3. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, 65 Tsurumai, Showa, Nagoya, Aichi, 466-8550, Japan

    Shunsuke Hamada, Yoshihiro Nishida & Naoki Ishiguro

Authors
  1. Shunsuke Hamada
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  2. Shigeru Matsushima
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  3. Hideshi Sugiura
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  4. Kenji Yamada
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  5. Yoshihiro Nishida
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  6. Naoki Ishiguro
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Correspondence to Shunsuke Hamada.

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Hamada, S., Matsushima, S., Sugiura, H. et al. Correlation between equivalent cross-relaxation rate and cellular density in soft tissue tumors. Skeletal Radiol 43, 141–147 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00256-013-1754-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00256-013-1754-9

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