BACKGROUNDMagnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is commonly utilized as part of the diagnostic workup for the clinical diagnosis of glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), further guiding the clinical treatment of this aggressive cancer. Recent research has shown that microRNAs (miRNAs) may act as oncogenes, or in some cases, tumor suppressor genes that in turn may reflect the genotypic features of GBM. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between MRI features and miRNA gene expression in patients with glioblastoma multiforme.

METHODSIn order to identify the relationship between the radiographic findings of MRI and those identified changes in miRNA gene expression of GBM, we reviewed the MRI images of GBM patients and compared them with the identified miRNA expression profiles utilizing microarray analysis of paired GBM tumor samples. We chose five MRI imaging features: (1) contrast tumor enhanced/necrosis ratio, (2) contrast tumor enhanced/T2 ratio, (3) multiple lesions, (4) hemorrhage, and (5) necrotic volume. The relationship between these five imaging features and miRNA expression was studied using significance analysis of microarrays analysis.

RESULTSWe found that the expression of miRNAs such as hsa-miR-892b, hsa-miR-892a, and hsa-miR-888 was inversely correlated with an enhanced/necrosis ratio ≥ 1. The miRNAs such as hsa-miR-95, hsa-miR-498, and hsa-miR-1300 were associated with a contrast tumor enhanced/T2 ratio ≥1. The miRNAs such as hsa-miR-612, hsa-miR-524-3, and hsamiR-1282 were associated with multiple lesions identified on MRI and the expression of miR-221 was associated with hemorrhage by GBM. The expression of miR-let-7, including miR-let-7f, miR-let-7i, and miR-let-7f-1*, was downregulated in the hemorrhage group. The gene expression of miRNAs such as hsa-miR-140-5p, hsa-miR-30e, and hsa-miR-301a was relatively low when compared with the larger necrotic volume group as identified by MRI.

CONCLUSIONSThe miRNA gene expression profiles correlate with several selected MRI features of patients with GBM. Further analysis of key imaging features of MRI with correlation with miRNA gene expression patterns may help to guide treatment decisions based on these unique correlative profiles of GBM.