Objective: To examine the associations of apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) value from MR diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) with Ki-67 expression and differentiation grade in gastric cancer.
Methods: Images and pathologic data of 68 gastric cancer patients between September 2013 and February 2015 in Affiliated Changshu Hospital of Soochow University were analyzed retrospectively. The expression of Ki-67 antigen in cancer tissue sample was determined by immunohistochemistry. Ki-67 labeling index(LI) was calculated to divide the cases into low Ki-67 group(Ki-67 LI <50%) and high Ki-67 group (Ki-67 LI ≥ 50%). Associations of ADC value with differentiation grade and Ki-67 LI were examined.
Results: Mean ADC value of low Ki-67 LI group was significantly higher than that of high Ki-67 LI group [(0.977 ± 0.100) × 10(-3) mm(2)/s vs. (0.859 ± 0.064) × 10(-3) mm(2)/s, P=0.000]. The ADC value was negatively correlated with Ki-67 LI (r=-0.685, P=0.000). Mean ADC value of well differentiated adenocarcinoma, moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma, poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma, and signet-ring cell carcinoma was (1.124 ± 0.080) × 10(-3) mm(2)/s, (0.950 ± 0.064) × 10(-3) mm(2)/s, (0.899 ± 0.091) × 10(-3) mm(2)/s, and (0.894 ± 0.081) × 10(-3) mm(2)/s respectively. Difference of ADC value among differentiation grades was significantly different (F=11.405, P=0.000). Difference of ADC value between well differentiated adenocarcinoma and non-well differentiated adenocarcinoma was significantly different(P=0.000).
Conclusion: ADC value is associated with differentiation grade and Ki-67 LI of gastric cancer, which may be used as a noninvasive predictor for evaluating the proliferation and differentiation grade of gastric cancer.