DW-MRI for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, correlations between ADC values with histologic differentiation and VEGF expression: A retrospective study

The aim of the present study was to assess the correlations between diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DW-MRI) features with the histologic differentiation and the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). A total of 52 patients with ESCC included in the present study received radiotherapy, and all patients underwent contrast enhanced MRI and DW-MRI prior to and following radiotherapy. The diffusion sensitivity coefficient (b value) was set as 800 s/mm(2). Apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values were automatically computed. VEGF expression was evaluated by immunohistochemical staining. The results demonstrated that the pathological grading of ESCC was positively correlated with ADC values (r=0.635, P=0.0007), and the VEGF expression was inversely correlated with ADC values (r=−0.321, P=0.008). However, no correlation was identified between the pathological grading and the VEGF expression (r=0.178, P=0.284). All patients were categorized as complete response (CR) or partial response (PR) and the ADC values were increased significantly following radiotherapy. The mean ADC values in the CR group were higher than the PR group prior to radiotherapy (t=5.156, P=0.0004). Therefore, we concluded that the DWI with ADC value measurement may represent the grade of tumor histologic differentiation and the degree of VEGF expression, and may also serve as a useful marker to predict radiotherapy and anti-VEGF response in ESCC. ADC value may be a substitution for assessing tumor angiogenesis and novel prognostic factor and contribute to the treatment of ESCC.