VEGF expression in osteosarcoma correlates with vascular permeability by dynamic MRI

Dynamic enhanced magnetic resonance imaging has been used to assess tumor angiogenesis in osteosarcoma. Vascular endothelial growth factor has been shown to correlate with pulmonary metastasis and a poor prognosis in osteosarcoma. The purpose of this investigation was to determine whether vascular endothelial growth factor expression in osteosarcoma correlates with vascular permeability detected by dynamic enhanced magnetic resonance imaging and to explore the role of dynamic enhanced magnetic resonance imaging as a noninvasive means of assessing tumor angiogenic activity. Fifty-five osteosarcoma patients with osteosarcoma enrolled in a treatment protocol that included dynamic enhanced magnetic resonance imaging. In 15 patients, tumor tissues were available for vascular endothelial growth factor immunohistochemical studies. A two-compartment model used the exchange rate constants (k_ep) between the plasma and tumor compartments to quantify vascular permeability during dynamic magnetic resonance imaging studies. Immunohistochemical staining for vascular endothelial growth factor was graded according to the intensity and number of positively stained cells. Vascular endothelial growth factor-positive tumors showed higher mean vascular permeability when compared with vascular endothelial growth factor-negative tumors. Vascular permeability also correlated with increasing vascular endothelial growth factor expression. The preliminary results in this study show an association between vascular endothelial growth factor and dynamic MR signal enhancement in osteosarcoma. Dynamic enhanced magnetic resonance imaging should be investigated as a means to prognosticate osteosarcoma patients with osteosarcoma according to their tumor angiogenic activity.