Breast imaging technology: Current and future technologies for breast cancer imaging (original) (raw)

New magnetic resonance imaging techniques for the detection of breast cancer

Breast Cancer Research and Treatment, 1994

The importance of contrast agents in enhancing diagnoses from magnetic resonance images has been established in numerous cases. However, the development of a potent tissue-specific contrast agent, as a sensitive probe for early detection and investigation of the physiological characteristics of a tumor, has not yet been realized in MR imaging (MRI). In nuclear scintigraphy the technique has been demonstrated; however, the poor spacial resolution inherent to the modality and the substantial dose of radioactivity administered to the patient has hindered its widespread use. This article will review the different classes of contrast agents in MRI, with special focus on the strategies involved in the development of targeted tissue-specific MRI contrast agents for the early detection of breast cancer. The features of a new class of contrast agents for targeted MR imaging will be described. Gadolinium-containing melanin polymers (GMP's) have been synthesized as MR contrast agents in our laboratory. These GMP's demonstrate significantly higher relaxivities than any other paramagnetic contrast agents reported; consequently, they are extremely effective contrast enhancing, imaging agents by themselves. The successful coupling of these potent GMP's to a monoclonal antibody specific for breast carcinoma, the 323/A3 monoclonal antibody, suggests thatin vivo tissue-specific MR imaging, at the receptor level, will become feasible in the near future.

Breast MRI : Using Physics to Maximize Its Sensitivity and Specificity to Breast Cancer

2004

This article discusses the underlying physics and technical requirements for highquality breast magnetic resonance imaging (BMRI). It begins with a brief discussion of MR pulse sequences used for breast imaging. Ten pre-requisites for maximizing the sensitivity of contrast-enhanced BMRI are discussed, along with the underlying practical issues and physical concepts behind these technical requirements. Some additional imaging and spectroscopic techniques to improve the specificity of breast MRI are discussed, such as diffusion imaging, perfusion imaging, choline spectroscopy, and spectroscopic imaging. Each topic contains references to more detailed descriptions in reference the peer-reviewed literature. Introduction MRI studies in the early to mid-1980s investigated the separation of malignant breast lesions from normal breast tissues and benign breast lesions based on inherent tissue longitudinal relaxation times (T1), transverse relaxation times (T2), and hydrogen spin densities (...

2015 Gutte Am J Nucl Med Mol Imaging 548-560.pdf

In recent years there has been an immense development of new targeted anti-cancer drugs. For practicing precision medicine, a sensitive method imaging for non-invasive, assessment of early treatment response and for assisting in developing new drugs is warranted. Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS) is a potent technique for non-invasive in vivo investigation of tissue chemistry and cellular metabolism. Hyperpolarization by Dynamic Nuclear Polarization (DNP) is capable of creating solutions of molecules with polarized nuclear spins in a range of biological molecules and has enabled the real-time investigation of in vivo metabolism. The development of this new method has been demonstrated to enhance the nuclear polarization more than 10,000-fold, thereby significantly increasing the sensitivity of the MRS with a spatial resolution to the millimeters and a temporal resolution at the subsecond range. Furthermore, the method enables measuring kinetics of conversion of substrates into cell metabolites and can be integrated with anatomical proton magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Many nuclei and substrates have been hyperpolarized using the DNP method. Currently, the most widely used compound is 13 C-pyruvate due to favoring technicalities. Intravenous injection of the hyperpolarized 13 C-pyruvate results in appearance of 13 C-lactate, 13 C-alanine and 13 C-bicarbonate resonance peaks depending on the tissue, disease and the metabolic state probed. In cancer, the lactate level is increased due to increased glycolysis. The use of DNP enhanced 13 C-pyruvate has in preclinical studies shown to be a sensitive method for detecting cancer and for assessment of early treatment response in a variety of cancers. Recently, a first-in-man 31-patient study was conducted with the primary objective to assess the safety of hyperpolarized 13 C-pyruvate in healthy subjects and prostate cancer patients. The study showed an elevated 13 C-lactate/ 13 C-pyruvate ratio in regions of biopsy-proven prostate cancer compared to noncancerous tissue. However, more studies are needed in order to establish use of hyperpolarized 13 C MRS imaging of cancer.

Breast cancer imaging: A perspective for the next decade

Medical Physics, 2008

Breast imaging is largely indicated for detection, diagnosis, and clinical management of breast cancer and for evaluation of the integrity of breast implants. In this work, a prospective view of techniques for breast cancer detection and diagnosis is provided based on an assessment of current trends. The potential role of emerging techniques that are under various stages of research and development is also addressed. It appears that the primary imaging tool for breast cancer screening in the next decade will be high-resolution, high-contrast, anatomical x-ray imaging with or without depth information. MRI and ultrasonography will have an increasingly important adjunctive role for imaging high-risk patients and women with dense breasts. Pilot studies with dedicated breast CT have demonstrated high-resolution three-dimensional imaging capabilities, but several technological barriers must be overcome before clinical adoption. Radionuclide based imaging techniques and x-ray imaging with intravenously injected contrast offer substantial potential as a diagnostic tools and for evaluation of suspicious lesions. Developing optical and electromagnetic imaging techniques hold significant potential for physiologic information and they are likely to be of most value when integrated with or adjunctively used with techniques that provide anatomic information. Experimental studies with breast specimens suggest that phase-sensitive x-ray imaging techniques can provide edge enhancement and contrast improvement but more research is needed to evaluate their potential role in clinical breast imaging. From the technological perspective, in addition to improvements within each modality, there is likely to be a trend towards multi-modality systems that combine anatomic with physiologic information. We are also likely to transition from a standardized screening, where all women undergo the same imaging exam ͑mammography͒, to selection of a screening modality or modalities based an individual-risk or other classification.

Advances in cancer imaging and technology"—special collection —introductory Editorial

BJR|Open

BJR|Open is an open access international research journal published by the British Institute of Radiology. It is a multidisciplinary journal covering clinical and technical aspects of radiology, radiotherapy, radiation oncology, radiobiology and medical physics. We are delighted to announce an upcoming special collection dedicated to the advances in cancer imaging and technology, to be published in early 2023. This special collection invites submissions of original research, reviews, short communications and commentaries, and this introductory Editorial by our Guest Editors (Figure 1) will outline the aims and scope of the collection.

Imaging in breast cancer: Magnetic resonance spectroscopy

Breast cancer research : BCR, 2005

A technique called in vivo magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) can be performed along with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to obtain information about the chemical content of breast lesions. This information can be used for several clinical applications, such as monitoring the response to cancer therapies and improving the accuracy of lesion diagnosis. Initial MRS studies of breast cancer show promising results, and a growing number of research groups are incorporating the technique into their breast MRI protocols. This article introduces 1H-MRS of the breast, reviews the literature, discusses current methods and technical issues, and describes applications for treatment monitoring and lesion diagnosis.

Review Imaging in breast cancer: Magnetic resonance spectroscopy

2005

A technique called in vivo magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) can be performed along with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to obtain information about the chemical content of breast lesions. This information can be used for several clinical applications, such as monitoring the response to cancer therapies and improving the accuracy of lesion diagnosis. Initial MRS studies of breast cancer show promising results, and a growing number of research groups are incorporating the technique into their breast MRI protocols. This article introduces 1H-MRS of the breast, reviews the literature, discusses current methods and technical issues, and describes applications for treatment monitoring and lesion diagnosis.