Correlation between MRI features and tumor risk grade in gastrointestinal stromal tumors / 中国肿瘤临床

ABSTRACT

To investigate the correlation between magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) features and tumor risk grade of gas-trointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs). Methods: Between September 2007 to December 2017, 54 patients who underwent MRI and were pathologically diagnosed in Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital were retrospectively reviewed. We analyzed MRI features including the size, location, shape, boundary, and growth pattern of the tumor; cystic necrosis; metastasis; T1WI and T2WI signal intensities; enhancement signal intensity-time (SIT) curve pattern; and average apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) val-ues. The MRI features were compared with the tumor risk grade. Results: Of the 54 cases, 16 were of low-risk grade, 13 were of inter-mediate-risk grade, and 25 were of high-risk grade. Statistical analysis showed that tumor size, location, shape, boundary, cystic necro-sis, signal intensity, and average ADC values were correlated with tumor risk grade (P<0.05). However, tumor growth pattern, metasta-sis, and enhancement SIT curve pattern were not correlated with tumor risk grade (P>0.05). GISTs with higher aggressive features were more likely to have larger size, irregular shape, unclear boundary, cystic necrosis, heterogeneous signal intensity, and lower ADC values on MRI. Conclusions: MRI has the potential to predict the risk grade of GISTs before surgery, thereby guiding clinical manage-ment, and evaluating prognosis.