Copyright
©2014 Baishideng Publishing Group Co., Limited. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Mar 28, 2014; 20(12): 3125-3134
Published online Mar 28, 2014. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v20.i12.3125
Published online Mar 28, 2014. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v20.i12.3125
DCE-MRI in hepatocellular carcinoma-clinical and therapeutic image biomarker
Bang-Bin Chen, Tiffany Ting-Fang Shih, Department of Medical Imaging, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei 100, Taiwan
Bang-Bin Chen, Tiffany Ting-Fang Shih, Department of Radiology, National Taiwan University, Medical College, Taipei 100, Taiwan
Author contributions: Chen BB and Shih TTF reviewed related articles and wrote the manuscript.
Correspondence to: Tiffany Ting-Fang Shih, MD, Department of Medical Imaging, National Taiwan University Hospital, No.7 Chung-Shan S. Rd., Taipei 100, Taiwan. ttfshih@ntu.edu.tw
Telephone: 886-2-23123456 Fax: 886-2-23224552
Received: September 30, 2013
Revised: December 26, 2013
Accepted: January 20, 2014
Published online: March 28, 2014
Revised: December 26, 2013
Accepted: January 20, 2014
Published online: March 28, 2014
Core Tip
Core tip: Dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) enables tumor vascular physiology to be assessed. Within the tumor tissue, contrast agents extravasate from intravascular into the extravascular extracellular space, which results in a signal increase on T1-weighted MRI. These signal intensity-time curves can be deconvoluted by mathematical modeling to extract parameters that may reflect tumor angiogenesis. DCE-MRI allows us to produce highly reproducible parametric maps of quantitative parameters in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). In the setting of clinical trials, DCE-MRI may provide relevant clinical information of novel drugs, monitor treatment response and predict survival outcome in HCC patients.