J Neurol Surg A Cent Eur Neurosurg 2015; 76 - A062
DOI: 10.1055/s-0035-1566381

Tumor Contrast Enhancement and Karyometric Variables in Brain Astrocytoma

Aleksandar Kostić 1, Ivan Stefanović 1, Nebojša Stojanović 1, Vesna Novak 1, Miša Radisavljević 1, Ivan Cvetković 1, Zvonimir Dželebdžić 1, Dragan Mihailović 2
  • 1Klinika za neurohirurgiju, Klinički Centar Niš, Nis, Serbia
  • 2Institut za patologiju, Klinički Centar Niš, Nis, Serbia

Introduction Brain astrocytomas are the most common glioma and consist of wide group of tumors that are separated in four grades. Each of these grades has its own pattern of growing, vascularization, and forming of the peritumoral edema.

Aim The aim of this study was to evaluate karyometry as a quantitative and objective histological method by showing correlation of some karyometric variables with the intensity of tumor contrast enhancement in patients with brain astrocytoma.

Materials and Methods A total of 63 patients of different ages and both genders were enrolled. The patients were diagnosed with astrocytoma of the brain, histologically confirmed on the surgically removed material. Maximal tumor excision was performed in all patients, who were postoperatively treated according to current oncologic therapeutic protocols. The intensity of tumor contrast enhancement (preoperative computer tomography [CT] scan) was correlated to the duration of survival and the values of nine karyometric tumor variables: area, density, maximal axis, mean axis, circumference, roundness, integrated optical density, and number of nuclei.

Results There were 20 cases with low intensity of dyeing, 20 with medium intensity, and 23 with high intensity of tumor dyeing, and their respective survival was around 174, 40, and 24 weeks. Those with low intensity of contrast enhancement had statistically significant prolonged survival compared with those with medium and high tumor enhancement (log-rank test = 25.73, p < 0.001). Five out of nine karyometric variables examined were significantly related (p < 0.05) to the intensity of tumoral dyeing: long and mean axis, circumference, roundness, and integrated optical density.

Conclusion Patients with more intensive tumor contrast enhancement have shorter survival. Correlation of karyometric variables with CT findings revealed that higher degrees of tumor cellularity and nuclear wrinkling with increased integrated optical density are associated with high-intensity dyeing.

Keywords karyometry; contrast enhancement; brain astrocytoma