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. 2021 Jun 9;94(1125):20201450. doi: 10.1259/bjr.20201450

Table 3.

Comparison of pre-operative cerebral and tumoral blood flow metrics between glioma grades

Grade 2 Grade 3 Grade 4 ANOVA Bonferroni Factorial ANOVA
M ± SD R N M ± SD R N M ± SD R N
CBF Max CBF overall 85.3 (±0.0) 1, 13 80.0 (±0.0) 1, 17 49.6 (±20.0) 35.2–77.0 2, 81 F = 39.7
p < 0.001
two vs 3 (p > 0.99)
two vs 4 (p < 0.001)
three vs 4 (p < 0.001)
Perilesional flow Max perilesional relative flow - white matter reference 1.1 (±0.0) 2, 28 1.3 (±0.0) 1, 14 1.7 (±0.4) 1.1–2.0 2, 71 F = 39.8
p < 0.001
two vs 3 (p = 0.215)
two vs 4 (p < 0.001)
three vs 4 (p < 0.001)
TBF Mean TBF 34.2 (±20.2) 4.2–51.7 6, 113 64.4 (±10.5) 49.0–71.3 2, 26 98.0 (±34.5) 49.0–136.5 7, 154 F = 167.1
p < 0.001
two vs 3 (p < 0.001)
two vs 4 (p < 0.001)
three vs 4 (p < 0.001)
Contrast:
two vs 3: N/A
two vs 4: MD = 53.8, p < 0.001
three vs 4: N/A
Non-contrast based
two vs 3: MD = 23.8, p < 0.001
two vs 4: MD = 76.5, p < 0.001
three vs 4: MD = 52.7, p < 0.001
Max TBF 70.8 (±13.8) 46.9–85.8 4, 46 122.9 (±34.9) 73.0–146.4 2, 25 145.5 (±48.0) 74.5–250.0 6, 214 F = 56.9
p < 0.001
two vs 3 (p < 0.001)
two vs 4 (p < 0.001)
three vs 4 (p = 0.042)
Mean rTBF - all reference ROIs 1.5 (±0.6) 0.9–1.7 7, 99 2.8 (±0.9) 1.4–3.7 5, 49 3.8 (±2.1) 1.6–7.9 6, 188 F = 63.9
p < 0.001
two vs 3 (p < 0.001)
two vs 4 (p < 0.001)
three vs 4 (p < 0.001)
Contrast based
two vs 3: MD = 0.98, p = 0.03
two vs 4: MD = 1.50, p < 0.001
three vs 4: MD = 0.52, p = 0.40
Non-contrast based
two vs 3: MD = 1.58, p < 0.001
two vs 4: MD = 3.40, p < 0.001
three vs 4: MD = 1.82, p < 0.001
Mean rTBF - white matter reference 1.8 (±0.5) 1.3–2.7 4, 66 3.0 (±0.7) 1.9–3.7 4, 41 4.0 (±2.1) 2.1–8.0 5, 177 F = 40.2
p < 0.001
two vs 3 (p = 0.001)
two vs 4 (p < 0.001)
three vs 4 (p = 0.007)
Contrast based
two vs 3: MD = 0.98, p = 0.04
two vs 4: MD = 1.50, p < 0.001
three vs 4: MD = 0.52, p = 0.41
Non-contrast based
two vs 3: MD = 2.05, p = 0.002
two vs 4: MD = 3.71, p < 0.001
three vs 4: MD = 1.66, p = 0.001
Max rTBF - all reference ROIs 1.9 (±0.8) 1.0–3.5 14, 205 3.4 (±1.5) 1.3–5.5 10, 138 5.1 (±2.5) 1.6–9.5 13, 342 F = 179.2
p < 0.001
two vs 3 (p < 0.001)
two vs 4 (p < 0.001)
three vs 4 (p < 0.001)
Contrast based
two vs 3: MD = 1.91, p < 0.001
two vs 4: MD = 3.21, p < 0.001
three vs 4: MD = 1.30, p = 0.35
Non-contrast based
two vs 3: MD = 0.42, p = 0.225
two vs 4: MD = 3.53, p < 0.001
three vs 4: MD = 3.11, p < 0.001
Max rTBF - mixed 1.7 (±0.3) 1.3–2.0 3, 46 3.7 (±0.8) 2.1–4.2 3, 41 5.7 (±2.7) 2.3–9.5 5, 191 F = 60.3
p < 0.001
two vs 3 (p < 0.001)
two vs 4 (p < 0.001)
three vs 4 (p < 0.001)
Contrast based
two vs 3: MD = 2.34, p < 0.001
two vs 4: MD = 4.13, p < 0.001
three vs 4: MD = 1.80, p = 0.001
Non-contrast based
two vs 3: MD = 0.85, p = 0.506
two vs 4: MD = 4.34, p < 0.001
three vs 4: MD = 3.49, p < 0.001
Max rTBF - white matter reference 2.1 (±0.9) 1.0–3.5 8, 118 3.9 (±1.6) 1.3–5.5 5, 69 4.8 (±1.9) 1.6–7.3 6, 118 F = 100.5
p < 0.001
two vs 3 (p < 0.001)
two vs 4 (p < 0.001)
three vs 4 (p < 0.001)
Contrast based
two vs 3: MD = 1.69, p < 0.001
two vs 4: MD = 2.81, p < 0.001
three vs 4: MD = 1.13, p < 0.001
Non-contrast based
two vs 3: MD = 0.15, p = 0.756
two vs 4: MD = 0.50, p = 0.167
three vs 4: MD = 0.35, p = 0.519
Max rTBF - grey matter reference 1.2 (±0.4) 0.6–1.5 3, 47 1.4 (±0.3) 1.0–1.8 3, 43 2.1 (±0.3) 1.7–2.7 3, 52 F = 96.3
p < 0.001
two vs 3 (p = 0.002)
two vs 4 (p < 0.001)
three vs 4 (p < 0.001)
Contrast based
two vs 3: MD = 0.43, p < 0.001
two vs 4: MD = 1.14, p < 0.001
three vs 4: MD = 0.71, p < 0.001
Non-contrast based
two vs 3: MD = 0.28, p < 0.001
two vs 4: MD = 0.98, p < 0.001
three vs 4: MD = 0.69, p < 0.001

ANOVA, One way analysis of variance; CBF, Cerebral blood flow; M ± SD, Mean±standard deviation; N, Number of studies followed by number of patients between studies; N/A, Current statistical test could not be performed; R, Range; ROI, Region of interest; TBF, Tumoral blood flow; rTBF, Relative tumoral blood flow.

This table shows the blood flow metrics that could be compared between different glioma grades. A one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and post-hoc Bonferroni tests, were undertaken to determine whether differences in mean values between glioma grades were statistically significant. This was further validated with a factorial ANOVA to control for the type of MR imaging used (contrast based or non-contrast based). With increasing glioma grade, tumoral and perilesional blood flow increased, whereas CBF decreased. All absolute flow metrics are in ml/100 g/min and all relative flow values are unitless.