DW-MRI in assessment of the hypoxic fraction, interstitial fluid pressure, and metastatic propensity of melanoma xenografts.

Background Cancer patients with primary tumors showing extensive hypoxia and highly elevated interstitial fluid pressure (IFP) have poor prognosis. The potential of diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DW-MRI) in assessing the hypoxic fraction, IFP, and metastatic propensity of tumors was investigated in this study.