Whole-tumour diffusion kurtosis MR imaging histogram analysis of rectal adenocarcinoma: Correlation with clinical pathologic prognostic factors

Objective To investigate potential relationships between diffusion kurtosis imaging (DKI)-derived parameters using whole-tumour volume histogram analysis and clinicopathological prognostic factors in patients with rectal adenocarcinoma. Material and methods 79 consecutive patients who underwent MRI examination with rectal adenocarcinoma were retrospectively evaluated. Parameters D, K and conventional ADC were measured using whole-tumour volume histogram analysis. Student’s t-test or Mann-Whitney U-test, receiver operating characteristic curves and Spearman’s correlation were used for statistical analysis. Results Almost all the percentile metrics of K were correlated positively with nodal involvement, higher histological grades, the presence of lymphangiovascular invasion (LVI) and circumferential margin (CRM) (p