In evaluating proliferation activity and apoptosis of tumor cells, the D value was highly correlated with Ki-67 (r = − 0.792, P < 0.001), the D value showed a very strong correlation with TUNEL staining (r = 0.910, P < 0.001), and the R2* value exhibited a correlation with TUNEL (r = − 0.634, P = 0.005). The gene discussed is MKI67; the disease is neoplasm.