The Combination of IVIM-DWI and BOLD-fMRI to Evaluate the Early Efficacy of Photodynamic Microenvironment-Modulating Therapy in Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma.

Authors

Ping-Kang Chen, Li Ma, Zi-Cong He, Li-Ting Chen, Shang-Ao Gong, Lei Zhang, Wei Cui, Nan Cui, Xue-Zhi Wang

Published in

Journal of magnetic resonance imaging : JMRI. Aug 04, 2026. Epub Aug 04, 2026.

Abstract

Photodynamic microenvironment-modulating therapy (PMMT) represents a promising strategy for nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). However, early assessment of therapeutic response remains challenging.
To evaluate whether intravoxel incoherent motion diffusion-weighted imaging (IVIM-DWI) and blood oxygen level-dependent functional MRI (BOLD-fMRI) can noninvasively detect early responses to PMMT in an NPC xenograft model.
Experimental, animal model.
Subcutaneous 5-8F NPC xenograft model (110 female BALB/c nude mice).
3.0 T, T2WI FSE sequence, IVIM-DWI single-shot echo-planar imaging sequence, and BOLD-fMRI SPGR sequence.
Following tumor establishment, mice were randomly assigned to five treatment groups: PBS, NH₂-MIL-101(Fe), PPa@NH₂-MIL-101(Fe) + near-infrared (P@MIL+NIR), Doxy@NH₂-MIL-101(Fe) (D@MIL), and PPa + Doxy@NH₂-MIL-101(Fe) + NIR (PD@MIL+NIR). IVIM-DWI (D and f) and BOLD-fMRI (R²*) were acquired before and after treatment to assess changes in tumor microstructure, perfusion, and oxygenation. The proliferation, apoptosis, angiogenesis, and hypoxia of NPC tumor were evaluated by Ki-67 immunofluorescence staining, TUNEL immunofluorescence staining, VEGF immunohistochemical staining, and HIF-1α immunohistochemical staining.
One-way ANOVA, the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), Pearson's correlation analysis, and the Least Significant Difference (LSD) test for post hoc pairwise comparisons, p value < 0.05 was considered significant.
Good and excellent agreements between two evaluators can be seen (The range of ICCs was from 0.864 to 0.985). In P@MIL+NIR, D@MIL, and PD@MIL+NIR groups, D and f values initially decreased and then increased, while R²* values peaked at 0.5 h (63.20 ± 2.57, 61.62 ± 0.98, and 67.38 ± 1.37) and gradually declined. D, f, and R²* values were significantly correlated with the histological staining results.
The combination of IVIM-DWI and BOLD-fMRI could be used in monitoring the early therapeutic responses to PD@MIL-based PMMT in NPC.
1.
Stage 1.

PMID:
42550581
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 04 Aug 2026.

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