Correlation of high-resolution breast MR imaging with histopathology; validation of a technique

• Published in: Journal of magnetic resonance imaging 2000-06, Vol.11 (6), p.601-606
• Main Authors: Holland, Agnes E., Hendrick, R. Edward, Jin, Haoran, Russ, Paul D., Barentsz, Jelle O., Holland, Roland
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Biopsy; breast; Breast - pathology; Breast Neoplasms - diagnosis; Culture Techniques; Female; histopathology; Humans; Image Enhancement - methods; magnetic resonance imaging; Magnetic Resonance Imaging - methods; Reproducibility of Results; Sensitivity and Specificity
• ISSN: 1053-1807; 1522-2586
• DOI: 10.1002/1522-2586(200006)11:6<601::AID-JMRI5>3.0.CO;2-G

A high‐resolution three‐dimensional surface gradient coil set was used to obtain magnetic resonance (MR) images of breast specimens, using a gradient‐echo pulse sequence (TR/TE 1000/8 msec, flip angle 75°), with 117 μm in‐plane resolution and 1 mm slice thickness. Breast tissues were obtained from one autopsy and three surgical specimens. High‐resolution breast MR images and histopathology sections (7 μm thickness) were acquired in the same anatomical plane. Radiographs were acquired of the sliced specimens (approximately 5 mm thick) so that images from all three methods could be correlated. It was found that in vitro high‐resolution breast MRI correlated well with low‐resolution microscopic histology, demonstrating normal anatomy (lobules, ducts, connective tissue strands, blood vessels) and pathology (tumor content, margins, and presence of microcalcifications) of the breast more clearly than conventional pre‐gadolinium breast MRI. High‐resolution breast MRI may improve specificity, when added to a conventional breast MRI protocol. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2000;11:601–606. © 2000 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.