We've noticed that you're using an ad blocker

Our content is brought to you free of charge because of the support of our advertisers. To continue enjoying our content, please turn off your ad blocker.

It's off now Dismiss How do I disable my ad blocker?
❌

How to disable your ad blocker for our site:

Adblock / Adblock Plus
  • Click on the AdBlock / AdBlock Plus icon on the top right of your browser.
  • Click “Don’t run on pages on this domain.” OR “Enabled on this site.”
  • Close this help box and click "It's off now".
Firefox Tracking Prevention
  • If you are Private Browsing in Firefox, "Tracking Protection" may casue the adblock notice to show. It can be temporarily disabled by clicking the "shield" icon in the address bar.
  • Close this help box and click "It's off now".
Ghostery
  • Click the Ghostery icon on your browser.
  • In Ghostery versions < 6.0 click “Whitelist site.” in version 6.0 click “Trust site.”
  • Close this help box and click "It's off now".
uBlock / uBlock Origin
  • Click the uBlock / uBlock Origin icon on your browser.
  • Click the “power” button in the menu that appears to whitelist the current website
  • Close this help box and click "It's off now".
  • ONCOLOGY
  • News
  • Blogs
  • Topics
  • Hematology
  • Image IQ
  • Podcasts
  • Videos
  • Slideshows
  • Conferences

Modern Medicine Network
  • Login
  • Register
Skip to main content
Modern Medicine Network
  • Login
  • Register
Menu
User
Home
  • ONCOLOGY
  • News
  • Blogs
  • Topics
  • Hematology
  • Image IQ
  • Podcasts
  • Videos
  • Slideshows
  • Conferences

SUBSCRIBE: Print / eNewsletter

New MRI Technique Diagnoses Breast Lesions via Perfusion Patterns

Oct 1, 2002
Volume: 
11
Issue: 
10
  • Breast Cancer

WASHINGTON—A new technique employing high-resolution contrast-enhanced
magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can distinguish between benign and malignant
breast lesions by showing lesion perfusion patterns (images and 
Figure 1). Hadassa Degani, PhD, head of the Department of
Biological Regulation, the Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel,
discussed the method, developed in her lab, at the Susan G. Komen Breast
Cancer Foundation 5th Annual Conference on Innovations in Quality Care.

The new technique appears promising not only as a diagnostic tool but also
as a means of monitoring the effects of antiangiogenic agents and
chemotherapy regimens in breast cancer patients, Dr. Degani commented (see
Figure 2 ).

Earlier work by Dr. Degani and her colleagues in which they monitored
perfusion of tumors in animal models of breast cancer provided valuable
information about the physiology of the microvasculature of benign and
malignant lesions, she said. Two parameters—microvascular permeability and
extracellular volume fraction—proved to be most useful in making the
distinction between normal and cancerous tissue.

Unlike normal tissues, perfusion in tumors is "irregular and
heterogeneous," Dr. Degani said. The immature blood vessels of malignant
tumors differ from normal vessels by being "much leakier" (ie, having higher
permeability). Differences in cell density are also important. Cancer cells
are "more crowded" than normal ones, she said. Contrast agents, therefore,
will slowly fill up the larger empty spaces in normal tissues relative to the
fast fill up of the lower extracellular volume fraction for cancerous tissue.

The new method uses gadolinium-DPTA as a contrast material. Images are
obtained via the three-time-point (3TP) method developed in Dr. Degani’s lab.

Using 3TP, contrast-enhanced im-ages are recorded at three time points—one
before the contrast agent is administered into the bloodstream (t0) and two
afterwards (t1 and t2). The wash-out pattern between t1 and t2
is displayed
as a color hue (with red typical of cancerous tissue, green indeterminant for
cancer, and blue typical of benign tissue). The wash-in rate between t0 and
t1 is displayed as color intensity.

Special 3TP software, using mathematical algorithms, relates the color
hue/intensity pattern to the two perfusion parameters, with red (typical of
cancer) indicating high microvascular permeability and low-to-medium
extracellular volume fraction. The software program then provides a
combination image that overlays the color-coded dynamic parameters onto the
conventional MR images showing morphology.

Pages

  • 1
  • 2
  • next ›
  • last »

Related Articles

  • Prognostic Tool Can Guide Extended Endocrine Therapy in ER+ Breast Cancer
  • Forecasting PARP Inhibitor Resistance in Breast Cancer Patients
  • OncoMasTR Assay May Help Some Breast Cancer Patients Avoid Chemo
  • RAD51 Linked With PARP Inhibitor Resistance in BRCA-Mutated Breast Cancer
  • HER2+ Breast Cancer Subtypes Resistant to TKIs Through Differing Mechanisms

Resource Topics rightRail

  • Resource Topics
  • Partner Content
Breast Cancer
Lung Cancer
Prostate Cancer
Colorectal Cancer
Melanoma
Cutaneous T-Cell Lymphomas: Mycosis Fungoides and Sézary Syndrome
3 Keys to Success in the Oncology Care Model

Current Issue

Oncology Vol 32 No 4
Apr 15, 2018 Vol 32 No 4
Digital Edition
Subscribe
Connect with Us
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • RSS
Modern Medicine Network
  • Home
  • About Us
  • Advertise
  • Advertiser Terms
  • Privacy statement
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Editorial & Advertising Policy
  • Editorial Board
  • Contact Us
Modern Medicine Network
© UBM 2018, All rights reserved.
Reproduction in whole or in part is prohibited.