Evaluation of tumor proliferation using dynamic contrast enhanced-MRI of oral cavity and oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma.

We investigated the relationship between the enhanced patterns acquired by dynamic MRI and the tumor cell proliferation estimated by immunostaining proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) in oral squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). Thirty patients with primary oral SCC underwent dynamic contrast enhanced (DCE)-MRI using a three-dimensional fast imaging with steady-state precession sequence. Tumor cell proliferation of all surgical specimens was evaluated using immunohistochemical staining with the anti-PCNA antibody. The relationship between the dynamic MRI parameters (maximum CI and maximum CI gain) and the PCNA labeling index was statistically analyzed using regression analysis. The time contrast index curves of all cases showed a rapid and high uptake pattern. The PCNA labeling index showed a significant correlation with maximum CI and maximum CI gain (P<0.0001, r=0.866 and P=0.0019, r=0.544, respectively). The assessment of DCE-MRI parameters may provide valuable information for tumor cell proliferation of the patients with oral cancer.