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Tumor blood volume: a prognostic biomarker for anaplastic astrocytomas?


Anaplastic astrocytoma is a WHO grade III glioma characterized by diffusely infiltrative astrocytic tumors with cytological atypia, anaplasia and mitoses [1]. Although histopathologic assessment remains the reference standard for tumor grading, sampling error, inter- and intra-pathologist variability, and heterogeneity of gliomas may result in inadequate evaluation [2,3]. In particular, grade III gliomas tend to be heterogeneous and may contain regions of different degrees of malignant degeneration within the same tumor [4]. Therefore, imaging studies can provide additional characterization.

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