MR elastography of breast lesions: understanding the solid/liquid duality can improve the specificity of contrast-enhanced MR mammography

TY - JOUR

T1 - MR elastography of breast lesions

T2 - understanding the solid/liquid duality can improve the specificity of contrast-enhanced MR mammography

AU - Sinkus, Ralph

AU - Siegmann, Katja

AU - Xydeas, Tanja

AU - Tanter, Mickael

AU - Claussen, Claus

AU - Fink, Mathias

N1 - (c) 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

PY - 2007/12

Y1 - 2007/12

N2 - The purpose of this analysis is to explore the potential diagnostic gain provided by the viscoelastic shear properties of breast lesions for the improvement of the specificity of contrast enhanced dynamic MR mammography (MRM). The assessment of viscoelastic properties is done via dynamic MR elastography (MRE) and it is demonstrated that the complex shear modulus of in vivo breast tissue follows within the frequency range of clinical MRE a power law behavior. Taking benefit of this frequency behavior, data are interpreted in the framework of the exact model for wave propagation satisfying the causality principle. This allows to obtain the exponent of the frequency power law from the complex shear modulus at one single frequency which is validated experimentally. Thereby, scan time is drastically reduced. It is observed that malignant tumors obtain larger exponents of the power law than benign tumors indicating a more liquid-like behavior. The combination of the Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BIRADS) categorization obtained via MRM with viscoelastic information leads to a substantial rise in specificity. Analysis of 39 malignant and 29 benign lesions shows a significant diagnostic gain with an increase of about 20% in specificity at 100% sensitivity.

AB - The purpose of this analysis is to explore the potential diagnostic gain provided by the viscoelastic shear properties of breast lesions for the improvement of the specificity of contrast enhanced dynamic MR mammography (MRM). The assessment of viscoelastic properties is done via dynamic MR elastography (MRE) and it is demonstrated that the complex shear modulus of in vivo breast tissue follows within the frequency range of clinical MRE a power law behavior. Taking benefit of this frequency behavior, data are interpreted in the framework of the exact model for wave propagation satisfying the causality principle. This allows to obtain the exponent of the frequency power law from the complex shear modulus at one single frequency which is validated experimentally. Thereby, scan time is drastically reduced. It is observed that malignant tumors obtain larger exponents of the power law than benign tumors indicating a more liquid-like behavior. The combination of the Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BIRADS) categorization obtained via MRM with viscoelastic information leads to a substantial rise in specificity. Analysis of 39 malignant and 29 benign lesions shows a significant diagnostic gain with an increase of about 20% in specificity at 100% sensitivity.

KW - Breast Neoplasms

KW - Contrast Media

KW - Elasticity Imaging Techniques

KW - Female

KW - Gadolinium DTPA

KW - Humans

KW - Image Enhancement

KW - Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted

KW - Mammography

KW - Middle Aged

KW - Reproducibility of Results

KW - Sensitivity and Specificity

U2 - 10.1002/mrm.21404

DO - 10.1002/mrm.21404

M3 - Article

C2 - 17969009

SN - 0740-3194

VL - 58

SP - 1135

EP - 1144

JO - Magnetic Resonance in Medicine

JF - Magnetic Resonance in Medicine

IS - 6

ER -