Estimation of T2 Relaxation Time of Breast Cancer: Correlation with Clinical, Imaging and Pathological Features

• Published in: Korean journal of radiology 2017, 18(1), , pp.238-248
• Main Authors: Seo, Mirinae, Ryu, Jung Kyu, Jahng, Geon-Ho, Sohn, Yu-Mee, Rhee, Sun Jung, Oh, Jang-Hoon, Won, Kyu-Yeoun
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Breast cancer; Breast Imaging; Breast Neoplasms - diagnosis; Breast Neoplasms - diagnostic imaging; Breast Neoplasms - pathology; Cancer therapies; Carcinoma, Intraductal, Noninfiltrating - diagnosis; Carcinoma, Intraductal, Noninfiltrating - diagnostic imaging; Carcinoma, Intraductal, Noninfiltrating - pathology; Chemotherapy; Female; Gene amplification; Humans; Hypoxia; Linear Models; Magnetic fields; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Mammography; Mapping; Middle Aged; Neoplasm Invasiveness; Tumors; 방사선과학
• ISSN: 1229-6929; 2005-8330
• DOI: 10.3348/kjr.2017.18.1.238

The purpose of this study was to estimate the T2* relaxation time in breast cancer, and to evaluate the association between the T2* value with clinical-imaging-pathological features of breast cancer. Between January 2011 and July 2013, 107 consecutive women with 107 breast cancers underwent multi-echo T2*-weighted imaging on a 3T clinical magnetic resonance imaging system. The Student's test and one-way analysis of variance were used to compare the T2* values of cancer for different groups, based on the clinical-imaging-pathological features. In addition, multiple linear regression analysis was performed to find independent predictive factors associated with the T2* values. Of the 107 breast cancers, 92 were invasive and 15 were ductal carcinoma (DCIS). The mean T2* value of invasive cancers was significantly longer than that of DCIS ( = 0.029). Signal intensity on T2-weighted imaging (T2WI) and histologic grade of invasive breast cancers showed significant correlation with T2* relaxation time in univariate and multivariate analysis. Breast cancer groups with higher signal intensity on T2WI showed longer T2* relaxation time ( = 0.005). Cancer groups with higher histologic grade showed longer T2* relaxation time ( = 0.017). The T2* value is significantly longer in invasive cancer than in DCIS. In invasive cancers, T2* relaxation time is significantly longer in higher histologic grades and high signal intensity on T2WI. Based on these preliminary data, quantitative T2* mapping has the potential to be useful in the characterization of breast cancer.