Correlations between of MRI quantitative perfusion parameters with MVD, VEGF and Ki-67 in uterine fibroids

Objective To investigate the value of dynamic enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) quantitative perfusion parameters in differentiate uterine fibroids subtypes and analyze whether there is correlations between the perfusion parameters and micro vascular density (MVD), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and Ki-67. Methods Sixty-three patients underwent hysteromyoma resection between October, 2015 and September, 2016 were divided pathologically in three groups:classical(29 cases), cellular(12 cases)and degenerative (22 cases). All patients performed DCE-MRI preoperative, double-chamber model Extended-tofts was used to calculate the parameters (K^trans, K_ep, V_e, V_p) and depict the parameters map. Immune-histochemical methods were used to measure the expression of MVD, VEGF, and Ki-67. The parameters, MVD, VEGF and Ki-67 were compared in the three groups. The correlations between parameters and immune-histochemical fractions were also explored. Results The value of K^trans, K_ep and Vp were higher in the cellular group than in the classical group and the degenerated group (P<0.05); K^trans, K_ep, V_e and V_p were positively associated with MVD(r=0.770, r=0.524, r=0.276, r=0.472; P<0.05). K^trans, K_ep, V_p were positively as sociated with Ki-67(r=0.637, r=0.421, r=0.439; P<0.05). While Ki-67 and MVD also showed apositive correlation (r=0.681, P<0.001), there were no correlation between quantitative perfusion indexes and VEGF. Conclusion Quantitative perfusion parameters derived DCE-MRI contribute to differentiation varies pathological subtypes of uterine fibroids, and these parameters can be used as predictors to evaluate uterine fibroids microvascular and cell proliferative activity.