Apparent Diffusion Coefficient Is Higher in EGFR+ Versus EGFR- Anaplastic Astrocytoma

Tracy Richmond McKnight¹, Khadjia A. Lobo¹, Anders Persson²

Overexpression of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR+) in Grade 3 anaplastic astrocytoma (AA) is a biomarker of poor prognosis. We compared pre-surgical diffusion tensor imaging and multivoxel magnetic resonance spectroscopy data from 10 patients with EGFR+ AA and 10 patients with EGFR- AA. The apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) was significantly higher and there was a trend toward higher choline:creatine in the EGFR+ AA. These results suggest that the ADC may be useful for identifying AA patients that have a less favorable prognosis, particularly in cases where the tumor is inaccessible for surgical diagnostic biopsy.