r-CBV Changes: Can We Predict Tumor Behavior of Low Grade Gliomas with Rapid Progression from Imaging Features?

Yoo Jeong Yim¹, Soo Chin Kim¹, Hyo bin Seo¹, Ji Hoon Kim¹, Chul-Ho Sohn¹, Kee Hyun Chang¹

The purpose of this study was to determine whether r-CBV(relative cerebral blood volume) value in low grade gliomas can be used as an adjunct to pathologic grading. From 2004 to 2009. among 190 pathologically proven low grade glioma(WHO grade II), fifteen patients(7.8%)(4 astrocytomas, 10 oligodendrogliomas, 1 oligoastrocytoma) showed malignant transformation. These tumors included 8 anaplastic oligodendroglioma, 3 anaplastic astrocytoma, 3 anaplastic oligoastrocytoma and 1 glioblastoma. At the initial study, mean r-CBV value was 5.07(range, 2.87-9.32) and 10.4(range,3.25-16.15) at malignant transformation. Cut-off value for r-CBV of low grade glioma at the point of high grade transformation is 5.3(p=0.0005, sensitivity 83.3%, specificity 76.9%). r-CBV values can be used as an accurate adjunct to WHO pathologic grading of low grade gliomas that have a propensity for malignant transformation.