Assessment of the metabolic flow phenotype of primary colorectal cancer: correlations with microvessel density are influenced by the histological scoring method

• Published in: European radiology 2012-08, Vol.22 (8), p.1687-1692
• Main Authors: Goh, Vicky, Rodriguez-Justo, Manuel, Engledow, Alec, Shastry, Manu, Endozo, Raymondo, Peck, Jacqui, Meagher, Marie, Taylor, Stuart A., Halligan, Steve, Groves, Ashley M.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Algorithms; Angiogenesis; Antigens, CD - biosynthesis; Biomarkers; Blood; Colorectal cancer; Colorectal Neoplasms - blood supply; Colorectal Neoplasms - pathology; Contrast agents; Diagnostic Radiology; Endoglin; Female; Fluorodeoxyglucose F18 - pharmacology; Growth factors; Humans; Imaging; Immunohistochemistry - methods; Internal Medicine; Interventional Radiology; Male; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Metabolism; Methods; Microcirculation; Middle Aged; Monoclonal antibodies; Neoplasm Metastasis; Neuroradiology; Oncology; Perfusion; Permeability; Phenotype; Positron-Emission Tomography - methods; Radiology; Receptors, Cell Surface - biosynthesis; Surgery; Ultrasound; University colleges
• ISSN: 0938-7994; 1432-1084
• DOI: 10.1007/s00330-012-2423-4

Objectives To investigate how the histological scoring of microvessel density affects correlations between integrated 18 F-FDG-PET/perfusion CT parameters and CD105 microvessel density. Methods A total of 53 patients were enrolled from 2007 to 2010. Integrated 18 F-FDG-PET/perfusion CT was successful in 45 patients, 35 of whom underwent surgery without intervening treatment. Tumour SUV max , SUV mean and regional blood flow (BF) were derived. Immunohistochemical staining for CD105 expression and analysis were performed for two hot spots, four hot spots and the Chalkley method. Correlations between metabolic flow parameters and CD105 expression were assessed using Spearman’s rank correlation. Results Mean (SD) for tumour size was 38.5 (20.5) mm, for SUV max , SUV mean and BF it was 19.1 (4.5), 11.6 (2.5) and 85.4 (40.3) mL/min/100 g tissue, and for CD105 microvessel density it was 71.4 (23.6), 66.8 (22.9) and 6.18 (2.07) for two hot spots, four hot spots and the Chalkley method, respectively. Positive correlation between BF and CD105 expression was modest but higher for Chalkley than for four hot spots analysis ( r  = 0.38, P  = 0.03; r  = 0.33, P  = 0.05, respectively). There were no significant correlations between metabolic parameters (SUV max or SUV mean ) and CD105 expression ( r  = 0.08–0.22, P  = 0.21–0.63). Conclusions The histological analysis method affects correlations between tumour CD105 expression and BF but not SUV max or SUV mean . Key Points • FDG-PET/perfusion CT offers new surrogate biomarkers of angiogenesis. • Microvessel density scoring influences histopathological correlations with CT blood flow. • Highest correlations were found with the Chalkley analysis method. • Correlations between SUV and CD105 are not affected by the scoring method.