Correlations between dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging-derived measures of tumor microvasculature and interstitial fluid pressure in patients with cervical cancer

Purpose: To correlate permeability (rk(trans)), extracellular volume fraction (rv(e)), relative to muscle and initial area under the enhancement curve (IAUC(60m)) determined by dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) with in vivo measurements of interstitial fluid pressure (IFP) in patients with cervical cancer. Materials and Methods: DCE-MRI and IFP measurements were performed of cervical tumors of 32 patients prior to therapy. Median tumor rk(trans) and rv(e) were derived from a bidirectional two-compartment model using an input fdriction derived from muscle. Median IAUC60m,was defined as the integral of tumor enhancement in the first 60 seconds divided by the similar muscle enhancement integral. These parameters were correlated with the mean tumor IFP. Results: There was a significant negative correlation between IAUC(60m) and IFP (r = -0.42, P = 0.016) and between rk(trans) and IFP tr = -0.47. P = 0.008). The was no significant correlation between IFP and rv(e). Conclusion: There is a moderate negative correlation between IAUC(60m) rk(trans), and IFP in cervical cancer. This suggests that these parameters may be of value in assessment of tumor behavior.