Correlation between dynamic susceptibility contrast perfusion MRI and methionine metabolism in brain gliomas: Preliminary results

Purpose: To evaluate in brain glioma the relationship between tumor vascularity measured by MR-based maximum regional cerebral blood volume (rCBV) and tumor amino-acid metabolism based on maximum carbon-11 methionine (MET) uptake on positron emission tomography (PET). Materials and Methods: Eighteen patients, with histologically proven primary brain gliomas were included in the study. In addition to conventional MR sequences, dynamic MR Images, including a first-pass gadopentetate dimeglumine T2*-weighted echo-planar perfusion sequence and a PET study using MET, were acquired. Eleven patients had low-grade gliomas, and seven had high-grade gliomas. rCBV ratios and MET uptake ratios normalized to the contralateral white matter (WM) corresponding values were ratios and measured in each tumor; Both maximum rCBV rat maximum MET uptake ratios were correlated to histopathology. the maximum rCBV ratios were correlated to the maximum MET uptake ratios. Results: Both the maximum rCBV ratios and maximum MET uptake ratios of high-grade gliomas were significantly higher than those of low-grade gliomas, (P < 0.05). There was a significant positive correlation between maximum rCBV ratios and maximum MET uptake ratios (Spearman: r = 0.89, P < 0.00001). Conclusion: The maximum rCBV ratio and maximum MET uptake ratio are significantly correlated in gliomas, reflecting a close link between amino acid uptake and vascularity in these tumors.