PURPOSE: To explore the characteristics of variously differentiated
gastric cancers on computed tomography (CT) perfusion imaging, including
specific perfusion parameter values, and potential clinical applications in
the prognosis assessment of gastric cancer.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty patients with gastric cancer confirmed
by gastroscope pathology were studied prospectively using CT perfusion
imaging examinations on a 64-slice spiral CT scanner. The acquired volume
data were used for calculations, mapping, and analysis by using an abdominal
tumor perfusion protocol (deconvolution method) in the CT perfusion software
package to measure 4 parameters: blood flow (BF), blood volume (BV), mean
transit time (MTT), and the permeability surface (PS) area product. The
different differentiated Gastric cancers with CT perfusion values were
divided into 3 groups: well-differentiated, moderately differentiated and
poorly differentiated gastric adenocarcinoma, and compared statistically
with one another by statistical software.
RESULTS: The mean perfusion values of 10 patients with
well-differentiated gastric adenocarcinoma were as follows: BF, 75.28 ±
6.81 mL/100 g/min; BV, 9.01 ± 0.94 mL/100 g; MTT, 9.89 ± 1.65 s;
and PS, 10.05 ± 0.71 mL/100 g/min. The mean perfusion values of 24
patients with moderately differentiated gastric adenocarcinoma were as
follows: BF, 110.01 ± 31.90 mL/100 g/min; BV, 18.18 ± 5.62 mL/100
g; MTT, 9.81 ± 3.69 s; and PS, 40.08 ± 15.82 mL/100 g/min. The
mean perfusion values of 16 patients with poorly differentiated gastric
adenocarcinoma were as follows: BF, 138.59 ± 38.09 mL/100 g/min; BV,
21.08 ± 4.11 mL/100 g; MTT, 9.47 ± 1.80 s; and PS, 57.50 ±
13.28 mL/100 g/min. Comparing the 3 groups, differences between the
well-differentiated group and the moderate differentiation group were all
statistically significant for BF, BV, and PS (p < 0.05, respectively),
differences between the well-differentiated group and the poor
differentiation group were all statistically significant for BF, BV, and PS
(p < 0.05,respectively) as well; While MTT value showed no statistical
difference among the 3 groups (p > 0.05).
CONCLUSION: Stomach CT perfusion imaging is a functional imaging
technology from the perspective of hemodynamics with potential clinical
applications. The BF, BV and PS values could serve as indicators of the
degree of malignancy and aid in prognostic assessment of gastric cancer.
