Enhancement degree of brain metastases: correlation analysis between enhanced T2 FLAIR and vascular permeability parameters of dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI

To investigate the correlation between enhancement degrees of brain metastases on contrast-enhanced T2-fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (CE-T2 FLAIR) and vascular permeability parameters of dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI). Thirty-nine patients with brain metastases were prospectively collected. They underwent non-enhanced T2 FLAIR, DCE-MRI, CE-T2 FLAIR, and contrast-enhanced three-dimensional brain volume imaging (CE-BRAVO). Quantitative parameters of DCE-MRI were evaluated for all lesions, which included volume transfer constant (Ktrans), rate constant (Kep), and fractional volume of the extracellular extravascular space (Ve). Contrast ratio (CR) and percentage increase (PI) values of all lesions on CE-T2 FLAIR were also measured. The tumor enhancement degree on CE-T2 FLAIR in relation to CE-BRAVO was visually classified as higher (group A), equal (group B), and lower (group C). A total of 82 brain metastases were evaluated, including 31 in group A, 19 in group B, and 32 in group C. The Ktrans and Kep were negatively correlated with the CR (ρ = − 0.551, p