Clinical Research
Copyright ©The Author(s) 2003. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Sep 15, 2003; 9(9): 2100-2104
Published online Sep 15, 2003. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v9.i9.2100
Correlation of CT enhancement, tumor angiogenesis and pathologic grading of pancreatic carcinoma
Zhong-Qiu Wang, Jie-Shou Li, Guang-Ming Lu, Xin-Hua Zhang, Zi-Qian Chen, Kui Meng
Zhong-Qiu Wang, Guang-Ming Lu, Zi-Qian Chen, Department of Medical Imaging, Jinling Hospital, Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210002, Jiangsu Province, China
Jie-Shou Li, Department of General Surgery, Jinling Hospital, Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210002, Jiangsu Province, China
Xin-Hua Zhang, Kui Meng, Department of Pathology, Jinling Hospital, Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210002, Jiangsu Province, China
Author contributions: All authors contributed equally to the work.
Correspondence to: Zhong-Qiu Wang, Department of Medical Imaging, Jinling Hospital, No 305 Zhongshan East Road, Nanjing 210002, Jiangsu Province, China. zhq2001us@yahoo.com
Telephone: +86-25-4801827 Fax: +86-25-4821929
Received: December 22, 2002
Revised: February 4, 2003
Accepted: February 13, 2003
Published online: September 15, 2003
Abstract

AIM: To study the correlation between pancreatic phase CT enhancement, intratumor microvessel density (MVD) and pathologic grading of pancreatic carcinoma and to evaluate the relationship between the degrees of CT enhancement and malignancy of pancreatic carcinoma.

METHODS: Thirty four patients with pancreatic carcinoma underwent CT scanning before resection. The enhancement degrees and forms of tumor were observed in pancreatic phase. The operative sample was stained with HE and CD34 marked by immunohistochemistry. MVD and histopathological grades of pancreatic carcinoma were examined. CT enhancement of the tumor, MVD counting in hot spot areas of neoplastic parenchymal cells and pathological grades of pancreatic carcinoma were comparatively analyzed.

RESULTS: Highly differentiated pancreatic adenocarcinoma was identified in 16 patients, moderately-differentiated tumor in 7 and poorly-differentiated in 11. Isodensity CT enhancement was demonstrated in 13 cases, slightly low density enhancement in 9, slightly low density enhancement with small cystic lesions in 9 and slightly low density enhancement with large cystic lesions in 3. The counting of MVD with CD34 marked by immunohistochemistry in hot spot areas of neoplastic parenchyma cells was small in 10 cases, medium in 16 and large in 8. The pathological grades correlated well with CT enhancement of the tumor (r = 0.7857, P < 0.001) and with MVD counting of tumor (r = 0.3613, P < 0.05). The CT enhancement of tumor correlated with MVD(r = 0.6768, P < 0.001).

CONCLUSION: There is an obvious and significant correlation between CT enhancement, pathological grades and MVD number in the hot spot areas of tumor. The extent of CT enhancement is inversely proportional to the malignant degree of pancreatic carcinoma, and to the MVD number in the hot spot areas of neoplastic parenchyma. The MVD in the hot spot areas of neoplastic parenchyma cells can also reflect the prognosis of the patients, and is directly proportional to the malignant degree of pancreatic carcinoma.

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