Associations between Histogram Analysis Parameters Derived from DCE-MRI and Histopathological Features including Expression of EGFR, p16, VEGF, Hif1-alpha, and p53 in HNSCC.

Hans Jonas Meyer,Leonard Leifels,Anne Kathrin Höhn,Gordian Hamerla,Alexey Surov

doi:10.1155/2019/5081909

Hans Jonas Meyer, Leonard Leifels + Show 3 more

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https://doi.org/10.1155/2019/5081909

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Journal: Contrast media & molecular imaging	Publication Date: Jan 2, 2019
Citations: 26	License type: CC BY 4.0

Affiliation: Leipzig University

Abstract

Background Our purpose was to elucidate possible correlations between histogram parameters derived from dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI (DCE-MRI) with several histopathological features in head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC). Methods Thirty patients with primary HNSCC were prospectively acquired. Histogram analysis was derived from the DCE-MRI parameters: Ktrans, Kep, and Ve. Additionally, in all cases, expression of human papilloma virus (p16) hypoxia-inducible factor-1-alpha (Hif1-alpha), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), and tumor suppressor protein p53 were estimated. Results K ep kurtosis was significantly higher in p16 tumors, and Ve min was significantly lower in p16 tumors compared to the p16 negative tumors. In the overall sample, Kep entropy correlated well with EGFR expression (p=0.38, P=0.04). In p16 positive carcinomas, Ktrans max correlated with VEGF expression (p=0.46, P=0.04), Ktrans kurtosis correlated with Hif1-alpha expression (p=0.46, P=0.04), and Ktrans entropy correlated with EGFR expression (p=0.50, P=0.03). Regarding Kep parameters, mode correlated with VEGF expression (p=0.51, P=0.02), and entropy correlated with Hif1-alpha expression (p=0.47, P=0.04). In p16 negative carcinomas, Kep mode correlated with Her2 expression (p=−0.72, P=0.03), Ve max correlated with p53 expression (p=−0.80, P=0.009), and Ve p10 correlated with EGFR expression (p=0.68, P=0.04). Conclusion DCE-MRI can reflect several histopathological features in HNSCC. Associations between DCE-MRI and histopathology in HNSCC depend on p16 status. Kep kurtosis and Ve min can differentiate p16 positive and p16 negative carcinomas.

Highlights

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is a frequently occurring malignancy [1]
A first promising study identified statistical differences between p16 positive and p16 negative carcinomas using histogram-based parameters derived from diffusion-weighted imaging [19]
The histological slices were stained by the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR, EMERGO Europe, clone 111.6, dilution 1 : 30), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF, EMERGO Europe, clone VG1, dilution 1 : 20), tumor suppressor protein p53 (DakoCytomation, Glostrup, Denmark; clone DO-7, dilution 1 : 100), hypoxia-inducible factor-1 (Hif1-alpha) (Biocare Medical, 60 Berry Dr Pacheco, CA 94553; clone EP1215Y, dilution 1 : 100), and p16 (p16 expression, CINtec Histology, Roche, Germany), as performed in our previous study [22]

Summary

Introduction

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is a frequently occurring malignancy [1]. Other parameters, such as vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), hypoxiainducible factor-1-alpha (Hif1-alpha), epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), and tumor suppressor protein p53 expression, are of prognostic relevance and might aid in treatment response prediction in HNSCC [17, 18]. A first promising study identified statistical differences between p16 positive and p16 negative carcinomas using histogram-based parameters derived from diffusion-weighted imaging [19]. Only two studies analyzed relationships between DCE-MRI and histopathological parameters like the proliferation index Ki 67 and/or tumor cellularity in HNSCC using conventional ROIbased analysis [7, 20].

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