Perfusion MR Imaging of Cerebral Gliomas: Comparison with Histologic Tumor Grade

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: Our purpose was to compare maximum relative cerebral blood volume (rCBV) with histologic grade of cerebral gliomas. MATERIALS AND METHODS: First-pass perfusion MR imaging was performed preoperatively in 16 patients with pathologically proven cerebral gliomas (7 glioblastoma, 2 anaplastic astrocytoma, 1 anaplastic oligo-dendroglioma, 5 low-grade astrocytoma, and 1 low-grade oligodendroglioma). Maximum rCBV was com-pared with histologic diagnosis and grade of the tumor. RESULTS: Maximum rCBVs of glioblastomas were in the range of 433%-1330% (average, 790%), as compared with those of contra-lateral normal white matters. Maximum rCBVs of two non-enhancing anaplastic astrocytomas were 66% and 284%, respectively. Maximum rCBV of one well-enhancing anaplastic oligodendroglioma was 502%. Maximum rCBVs of low-grade astrocytomas were in the range of 80%-369% (average, 202%). Maximum rCBV of one low-grade oligodendroglioma was 1450%, even higher than those of glioblastomas. CONCLUSION: Maximum rCBV was higher in glioblastoma than in low-grade astrocytoma without overlap-ping. However, there was no difference of maximum rCBV between non-enhancing anaplastic astrocytoma and low-grade astrocftoma.