ABSTRACT
Objective To evaluated the correlations between MSCT features and expression of VEGF-C,lymphatic vessel density (LVD)in gastric carcinoma.Methods Both plain MSCT and triphasic dynamic contrast-enhanced scan were performed in 58 patients with gastric carcinoma.All patients underwent total/subtotal gastrectomy after MSCT scanning.All specimens were collected into liquid nitrogen or deep freeze refrigerator.Detection procedure for VEGF-C mRNA was performed using RT-PCR,and the LVD was detected with 5’-nucleotidase (5’-Nase)histochemistry.Results The VEGF-C positive rate and the LVD in tumor tissue were high-er than those in normal tissue (P < 0.05 ).In the tumors between diffused and intestinal groups and between non-metastasis and lymph node metastasis groups,the VEGF-C positive rate was 87.1% and 59.3%,87.8% and 41.2%,and the LVD was 8.04±4.58 and 4.08±2.44,8.50±4.70 and 3.64 ± 1.41,respectively,indicating statistically significant differences (P <0.05 ).Conclusion Over-expression of VEGF-C and higher LVD are closely correlated with the lymph node metastasis and Lauren types of MSCT fea-tures of gastric carcinoma.VEGF-C can promote the lymphangiogenesis in carcinoma and further lymph metastasis.