Feasibility of contrast-enhanced MRI derived textural features to predict overall survival in locally advanced breast cancer.

Background: The prognosis for women with locally advanced breast cancer (LABC) is poor and there is a need for better treatment stratification. Gray-level co-occurrence matrix (GLCM) texture analysis of magnetic resonance (MR) images has been shown to predict pathological response and could become useful in stratifying patients to more targeted treatments.

Purpose: To evaluate the ability of GLCM textural features obtained before neoadjuvant chemotherapy to predict overall survival (OS) seven years after diagnosis of patients with LABC.

Pretreatment Prognostic Value of Dynamic Contrast-Enhanced Magnetic Resonance Imaging Vascular, Texture, Shape, and Size Parameters Compared With Traditional Survival Indicators Obtained From Locally Advanced Breast Cancer Patients.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine if associations exist between pretreatment dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-based metrics (vascular kinetics, texture, shape, size) and survival intervals. Furthermore, the aim of this study was to compare the prognostic value of DCE-MRI parameters against traditional pretreatment survival indicators.

Materials And Methods: A retrospective study was undertaken.

Registration of Supine MR Mammography with Breast Ultrasound for Surgical Planning of Breast Conserving Surgery: A Feasibility Study.

 To report the feasibility, accuracy and initial clinical experience of the use of real-time magnetic resonance navigated ultrasound (rtMRnUS) in the surgical planning of breast-conserving surgery (BCS) via guide wire insertion.  29 participants were recruited into this prospective ethics committee approved study. The first 4 cases were utilized as a training set.

Minkowski functionals: An MRI texture analysis tool for determination of the aggressiveness of breast cancer.

Background: This work aims to see whether Minkowski Functionals can be used to distinguish between cancer types before chemotherapy treatment has begun, and whether a response to treatment can be predicted by an initial scan alone.

Methods: Fat-nulled T1w 3T DCE-MRI scans were taken of 100 cases of biopsy confirmed breast cancer and a series of binary images created on lesion containing slices. Minkowski Functionals were calculated for each binary image and the change in these values as the binary threshold was raised was described using 6(th) order polynomials.

Multi-site clinical evaluation of DW-MRI as a treatment response metric for breast cancer patients undergoing neoadjuvant chemotherapy.

Purpose: To evaluate diffusion weighted MRI (DW-MR) as a response metric for assessment of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) in patients with primary breast cancer using prospective multi-center trials which provided MR scans along with clinical outcome information.

Materials And Methods: A total of 39 patients with locally advanced breast cancer accrued from three different prospective clinical trials underwent DW-MR examination prior to and at 3-7 days (Hull University), 8-11 days (University of Michigan) and 35 days (NeoCOMICE) post-treatment initiation. Thirteen patients, 12 of which participated in treatment response study, from UM underwent short interval (<1hr) MRI examinations, referred to as "test-retest" for examination of repeatability.

Comparison of 3.0 T magnetic resonance imaging and X-ray mammography in the measurement of ductal carcinoma in situ: a comparison with histopathology.

Purpose: To determine if MRI data obtained at 3.0 T can more accurately report the size of DCIS as compared to radiographic mammography, as a whole cohort and when subdivided by lesion characteristics.

Methods: Thirty-nine participants underwent X-ray mammography and MRI prior to breast surgery for DCIS.

Prognostic value of DCE-MRI in breast cancer patients undergoing neoadjuvant chemotherapy: a comparison with traditional survival indicators.

Objectives: To determine associations between dynamic contrast-enhanced MR imaging (DCE-MRI) parameters and survival intervals in patients with locally advanced breast cancer treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC), surgery, and adjuvant therapies. Further, to compare the prognostic value of DCE-MRI parameters against traditional survival indicators.

Methods: DCE-MRI and MR tumour volume measures were obtained prior to treatment and post 2nd NAC cycle.

Image registration for quantitative parametric response mapping of cancer treatment response.

Imaging biomarkers capable of early quantification of tumor response to therapy would provide an opportunity to individualize patient care. Image registration of longitudinal scans provides a method of detecting treatment associated changes within heterogeneous tumors by monitoring alterations in the quantitative value of individual voxels over time, which is unattainable by traditional volumetric-based histogram methods. The concepts involved in the use of image registration for tracking and quantifying breast cancer treatment response using parametric response mapping (PRM), a voxel-based analysis of diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DW-MRI) scans, are presented.

Voxel-by-voxel functional diffusion mapping for early evaluation of breast cancer treatment.

Quantitative isotropic diffusion MRI and voxel-based analysis of the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) changes have been demonstrated to be able to accurately predict early response of brain tumors to therapy. The ADC value changes measured during pre- and posttherapy interval are closely correlated to treatment response. This work was demonstrated using a voxel-based analysis of ADC change during therapy in the brains of both rats and humans, following rigidly registering pre- and post-therapeutic ADC MRI exams.

Correlation of ADC and T2 measurements with cell density in prostate cancer at 3.0 Tesla.

Objectives: To assess the relationship between MRI derived parameters (apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) and T2 relaxation time) and tumor cellularity as determined from whole mounted radical prostatectomy specimens, for both prostatic carcinoma and normal peripheral zone tissue.

Materials And Methods: Over a 16-month period, 20 patients (mean age: 61 years, range: 42-70 years) were prospectively recruited. Diffusion and T2 imaging were performed on a 3.

Analysis of prostate DCE-MRI: comparison of fast exchange limit and fast exchange regimen pharmacokinetic models in the discrimination of malignant from normal tissue.

Objectives: The ability to detect and identify malignant lesions within the prostate with conventional T2-weighted imaging is still limited. Although lesion conspicuity is improved with dynamic contrast-enhanced imaging there still remains some ambiguity as all tissues within the prostate may enhance. The aim of the current study was to take advantage of the improved signal-to-noise ratio at 3 T and assess the ability of 2 alternative pharmacokinetic models to clearly identify malignant areas within the prostate.

Prognostic value of pre-treatment DCE-MRI parameters in predicting disease free and overall survival for breast cancer patients undergoing neoadjuvant chemotherapy.

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether dynamic contrast enhanced MRI (DCE-MRI) data, both pharmacokinetic and empirical, can predict, prior to neoadjuvant chemotherapy, which patients are likely to have a shorter disease free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) interval following surgery. Traditional prognostic parameters were also included in the survival analysis. Consequently, a comparison of the prognostic value could be made between all the parameters studied.

Lesion T(2) relaxation times and volumes predict the response of malignant breast lesions to neoadjuvant chemotherapy.

The aim of this study was to investigate the utility of the water T(2) values of malignant breast lesions in predicting response after the first and second cycles of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC), both alone and in combination with lesion volumes. Thirty-five patients were scanned before the commencement of chemotherapy and again after the first, second and final treatment cycles. Two methods of obtaining lesion T(2) were used: imaging, where a series of T(2)-weighted images was acquired (T(R)/T(E)=1000/30, 60, 90 and 120 ms), and spectroscopy, where the T(2) value of unsuppressed water signal was determined with a multiecho sequence (T(R)=1.

Repeatability of echo-planar-based diffusion measurements of the human prostate at 3 T.

Echo-planar-based diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) of the prostate is increasingly being suggested as a viable technique, complementing information derived from conventional magnetic resonance imaging methods for use in tissue discrimination. DWI has also been suggested as a potentially useful tool in the assessment of tumor response to treatment. In this study, the repeatability of apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values obtained from both DWI and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) has been assessed as a precursor to determining the magnitude of treatment-induced changes required for reliable detection.

Diffusion changes precede size reduction in neoadjuvant treatment of breast cancer.

Traditionally, tumor response has been assessed via tumor size measurements during the course of a treatment. However, changes in these morphologically based measures occur relatively late in the course of a treatment. Alternative biomarkers are currently being evaluated to enable an earlier assessment of treatment to facilitate early cessation and cost savings.

Diffusion imaging of the prostate at 3.0 tesla.

Objectives: We sought to assess the efficacy of diffusion imaging in the differential diagnosis of prostatic carcinoma using a 3.0 T scanner and parallel imaging technology.

Materials And Methods: Diffusion-weighted images were acquired using a single shot echo-planar imaging sequence with b = 0 and 500 seconds/mm.

Diffusion-weighted imaging of normal and malignant prostate tissue at 3.0T.

Purpose: To measure the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) of normal and malignant prostate tissue at 3.0T using a phased-array coil and parallel imaging, and determine the utility of ADC values in differentiating tumor from normal peripheral zone (PZ).

Materials And Methods: ADC values were calculated for 49 patients (tumor and PZ) with evidence of prostate cancer.

Role of dynamic contrast enhanced MRI in monitoring early response of locally advanced breast cancer to neoadjuvant chemotherapy.

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy has become the standard treatment for patients with locally advanced breast cancer; however a technique that can accurately differentiate responders from non-responders at an early time point during treatment has still to be identified. The purpose of this work was to evaluate the ability of pharmacokinetically modelled dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI data to predict and monitor response of patients diagnosed with locally advanced breast cancer to neoadjuvant chemotherapy, at an early time point during treatment. Sixty-eight patients with histology proven breast cancer underwent MRI examination prior to treatment, early during treatment and following the final cycle of chemotherapy.