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Home > Research Highlights
Using Magnetic Resonance to Diagnose Breast Cancer and
Predict Therapeutic Response
Non-invasive detection of breast cancer using Magnetic Resonance
Imaging (MRI) and Spectroscopy (MRS)
Current clinical imaging methods are unable to determine
if a lump in the breast is benign or malignant. Biopsy of the breast lump
is the only way to obtain a definitive diagnosis. The goal of this research
is to test new magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) and imaging (MRI) methods
for determining if the breast lump is benign or malignant. We hope that this
technique will eventually be used to avoid unnecessary biopsy.
MRI is used to detect breast lumps; MRS is used to measure specific molecules
that are known to accumulate in cancer cells. Detecting such molecular changes
should result in an accurate, non-invasive way to make diagnoses. To determine
the technique’s reliability, the results of the MR scans are compared to pathologic
findings, if and when the lesions are biopsied or surgically excised. It
is hoped that this new method will ultimately offer an alternative to biopsy
for obtaining a definitive diagnosis, and that it can be used to monitor tumor
response to therapy.
Overview of the Breast Cancer Research
- Breast cancer cells contain elevated levels of choline-containing
compounds (Cho), which can be detected by MRS.
- The combination of MRI and MRS appears to be a powerful, non-invasive
way to diagnose breast cancer and to monitor response to neoadjuvant therapy.
- The application of MRS to breast cancer has unique technical demands.
- Success in small (< 1 cc) or low cellularity lesions depends on
having high sensitivity. Thus, having a high magnetic field (4 Tesla) is advantageous
How the Study is Performed
- Patients arrive at the CMRR for an interview and description of study.
If patient is willing to participate, informed consent is obtained.
- An intravenous line (IV) is placed by a nurse or physician for infusion
of an MRI contrast agent (Gd-DTPA).
- The patient then goes to the magnet room. MR scanning is noisy, so
the patient is given ear plugs and shown how to place them in the ears.
- The patient is placed on her stomach on the scanner table, and the
table is slowly moved into the magnet. The magnet looks like a long tube and
the table slides into the middle of this tube.
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After appropriate positioning, a baseline MRI scan is
taken over about 10 minutes. After this, a nurse or physician injects a dose
(0.1 mmol/kg) of contrast agent into the IV, followed by MRI scanning for
10 more minutes. We then take a series of MRS measurements for an additional
20-30 minutes. The total time required for scanning is about 1 hour.
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To determine how well MRS predicts the presence or absence
of cancer, patients are asked to permit investigators to access their medical
records if a biopsy or surgical excision of the lesion(s) is performed.
The Potential of MRI and MRS: Toward a Better Outcome for Breast Cancer
Better tools for diagnosis
Improving the distinction between benign and malignant lesions. This study
is supported by the National Cancer Institute.
Better tools to predict response to chemo-therapy in the adjuvant setting
Helping determine therapies to maximize benefit. This study is supported
by the Department of Defense.
Different pathological tissue types have different MRS characteristics
Monitoring of Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy by MR Imaging
Monitoring of Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy by MR Spectroscopy
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