US-localized diffuse optical tomography in breast cancer: comparison with pharmacokinetic parameters of DCE-MRI and with pathologic biomarkers

• Published in: BMC cancer 2016-02, Vol.16 (51), p.50, Article 50
• Main Authors: Kim, Min Jung, Su, Min-Ying, Yu, Hon J, Chen, Jeon-Hor, Kim, Eun-Kyung, Moon, Hee Jung, Choi, Ji Soo
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Analysis; Angiogenesis; Biological markers; Biomarkers; Biomarkers, Tumor - metabolism; Biopsy; Breast cancer; Breast Neoplasms - diagnostic imaging; Breast Neoplasms - metabolism; Breast Neoplasms - pathology; Care and treatment; Complications and side effects; Contrast Media - administration & dosage; Estrogen Receptor alpha - metabolism; Female; Hemoglobin; Hemoglobins - isolation & purification; Hemoglobins - pharmacokinetics; Humans; Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted; Informed consent; Ki-67 Antigen - metabolism; Magnetic resonance imaging; Magnetic Resonance Imaging - methods; Mammography; Medical prognosis; Molecular Imaging - methods; Neovascularization, Pathologic - diagnostic imaging; Neovascularization, Pathologic - metabolism; Neovascularization, Pathologic - pathology; Pharmacokinetics; Prognosis; Radiography; Receptor, ErbB-2 - metabolism; Receptors, Progesterone - metabolism; Review boards; Tomography; Tomography, Optical - methods; Tumors; Ultrasonic imaging
• ISSN: 1471-2407; 1471-2407
• DOI: 10.1186/s12885-016-2086-7

To correlate parameters of Ultrasonography-guided Diffuse optical tomography (US-DOT) with pharmacokinetic features of Dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE)-MRI and pathologic markers of breast cancer. Our institutional review board approved this retrospective study and waived the requirement for informed consent. Thirty seven breast cancer patients received US-DOT and DCE-MRI with less than two weeks in between imaging sessions. The maximal total hemoglobin concentration (THC) measured by US-DOT was correlated with DCE-MRI pharmacokinetic parameters, which included K(trans), k ep and signal enhancement ratio (SER). These imaging parameters were also correlated with the pathologic biomarkers of breast cancer. The parameters THC and SER showed marginal positive correlation (r = 0.303, p = 0.058). Tumors with high histological grade, negative ER, and higher Ki-67 expression ≥ 20% showed statistically higher THC values compared to their counterparts (p = 0.019, 0.041, and 0.023 respectively). Triple-negative (TN) breast cancers showed statistically higher K(trans) values than non-TN cancers (p = 0.048). THC obtained from US-DOT and K(trans) obtained from DCE-MRI were associated with biomarkers indicative of a higher aggressiveness in breast cancer. Although US-DOT and DCE-MRI both measured the vascular properties of breast cancer, parameters from the two imaging modalities showed a weak association presumably due to their different contrast mechanisms and depth sensitivities.