Quantitative Methods for Supplementing Contrast-Enhanced Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Breast Cancer

Contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (CE-MRI) is now established as the most accurate non-invasive imaging modality for characterizing breast cancer. CE-MRI has a very high sensitivity because the intravenous MR contrast agent highlights regions with increased vascularization and vascular permeability compared to normal breast tissues and benign lesions. While research continues on improving the specificity of CE-MRI, several other MR techniques that do not require an exogenous contrast agent have been shown to provide valuable information that can improve the characterization of breast cancers. These techniques include magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS), diffusion-weighted imaging, and water T2 relaxometry. The long-term goal of this study is to develop these techniques to produce quantitative MR-based biomarkers that can be used to supplement or possibly supplant the information provided by CE-MRI. This project seeks to facilitate the advancement of these advanced, non-contrast techniques. This study uses a piggyback design, in which subjects who are already scheduled to receive a CE-MRI study are invited to receive an additional 10-20 minutes of scanning to help develop these novel methods. This efficient design allows for the refinement and assessment of these new techniques with a minimum of risk and inconvenience to the patient. With these proposed improvements, these techniques may lead to quantitative biomarkers that can guide critical clinical questions in treatment response, diagnosis, staging, and high-risk screening of breast cancer.