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Whole-tumor histogram analysis of postcontrast T1-weighted and apparent diffusion coefficient in predicting the grade and proliferative activity of adult intracranial ependymomas

  • Diagnostic Neuroradiology
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Abstract

Purpose

To investigate the value of histogram analysis of postcontrast T1-weighted (T1C) and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) images in predicting the grade and proliferative activity of adult intracranial ependymomas.

Methods

Forty-seven adult intracranial ependymomas were enrolled and underwent histogram parameters extraction (including minimum, maximum, mean, 1st percentile (Perc.01), Perc.05, Perc.10, Perc.25, Perc.50, Perc.75, Perc.90, Perc.95, Perc.99, standard deviation (SD), variance, coefficient of variation (CV), skewness, kurtosis, and entropy of T1C and ADC) using FireVoxel software. Differences in histogram parameters between grade 2 and grade 3 adult intracranial ependymomas were compared. Receiver operating characteristic curves and logistic regression analyses were conducted to evaluate the diagnostic performance. Spearman’s correlation analysis was used to evaluate the relationship between histogram parameters and Ki-67 proliferation index.

Results

Grade 3 intracranial ependymomas group showed significantly higher Perc.95, Perc.99, SD, variance, CV, and entropy of T1C; lower minimum, mean, Perc.01, Perc.05, Perc.10, Perc.25, Perc.50 of ADC; and higher CV and entropy of ADC than grade 2 intracranial ependymomas group (all p < 0.05). Entropy (T1C) and Perc.10 (ADC) had a higher diagnostic performance with AUCs of 0.805 and 0.827 among the histogram parameters of T1C and ADC, respectively. The diagnostic performance was improved by combining entropy (T1C) and Perc.10 (ADC), with an AUC of 0.857. Significant correlations were observed between significant histogram parameters of T1C (r = 0.296–0.417, p = 0.001–0.044) and ADC (r = -0.428–0.395, p = 0.003–0.038).

Conclusion

Whole-tumor histogram analysis of T1C and ADC may be a promising approach for predicting the grade and proliferative activity of adult intracranial ependymomas.

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Data availability

The datasets generated and/or analyzed during the current study are not publicly available; however, they can be provided by the corresponding author on reasonable request.

Abbreviations

CNS:

Central nervous system

T1C:

Postcontrast T1-weighted images

DWI:

Diffusion-weighted imaging

ADC:

Apparent diffusion coefficient

TE:

Echo time

TR:

Repetition time

FOV:

Field of view

SD:

Standard deviation

CV:

Coefficient of variation

ROC:

Receiver operating characteristic curve

AUC:

Area under the curve

ROI:

Region of interest

CI:

Confidence intervals

ICC:

Intraclass correlation coefficient

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Funding

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (82071872; 82260341; 82260361; 82371914), the 2021 SKY Imaging Research Fund of China International Medical Exchange Foundation (Z-2014–07-2101), and the Science and Technology Program of Gansu Province (21YF5FA123; 21JR11RA105).

Author information

Author notes

  1. Xianwang Liu, Tao Han, and Yuzhu Wang contributed equally to this study.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Radiology, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Cuiyingmen No.82, Chengguan District, Lanzhou, 730030, People’s Republic of China

    Xianwang Liu, Tao Han, Hong Liu, Qiu Sun, Caiqiang Xue, Juan Deng, Shenglin Li & Junlin Zhou

  2. Second Clinical School, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, People’s Republic of China

    Xianwang Liu, Tao Han, Yuzhu Wang, Hong Liu, Qiu Sun, Caiqiang Xue, Juan Deng, Shenglin Li & Junlin Zhou

  3. Key Laboratory of Medical Imaging of Gansu Province, Lanzhou, People’s Republic of China

    Xianwang Liu, Tao Han, Yuzhu Wang, Hong Liu, Qiu Sun, Caiqiang Xue, Juan Deng, Shenglin Li & Junlin Zhou

  4. Gansu International Scientific and Technological Cooperation Base of Medical Imaging Artificial Intelligence, Lanzhou, People’s Republic of China

    Xianwang Liu, Tao Han, Hong Liu, Qiu Sun, Caiqiang Xue, Juan Deng, Shenglin Li & Junlin Zhou

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  1. Xianwang Liu
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Correspondence to Junlin Zhou.

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Ethical approval (2020A-070) was obtained from our institutional ethics review board.

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Liu, X., Han, T., Wang, Y. et al. Whole-tumor histogram analysis of postcontrast T1-weighted and apparent diffusion coefficient in predicting the grade and proliferative activity of adult intracranial ependymomas. Neuroradiology 66, 531–541 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00234-024-03319-w

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