2-D Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy of Breast Tumors
Creators: name: University Of California Office Of The President
Publisher: name: University of California Office of the President
publisherIdentifier: https://ror.org/00dmfq477
publisherIdentifierScheme: ROR
Year: 2024

description: A recent, non-invasive procedure known as two-dimensional (2-D) magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) has the ability to distinguish cancerous tissue from normal tissue and benign growths. 2-D MRS records characteristic "spectra" showing the presence and relative quantities of the chemicals comprising tissues of each type, and can characterize even small tumors. Thus, 2-D MRS can make it easier to detect breast cancer at its earliest stages, when its chances for cure are greatest. The problem of breast density that limits the usefulness of mammography is not a problem in 2-D MRS. Finally, preliminary studies have found MRS to be highly effective in identifying benign tissue correctly. This fact gives MRS an advantage over mammography, which often classifies benign growths as cancer.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 In this project, we will further investigate the applicability to 2-D MRS as a breast cancer screening tool. We will perform 2-D MRS on groups of 10 women with known diagnoses of benign vs. malignant breast tumors. Tumor diagnoses will be established by means of biopsy followed by pathologic analysis of extracted tissue samples. We will then be able to identify the characteristic features of recorded spectra from benign and malignant tumors, in order to determine which features best allow the discrimination between benign and malignant tumors. Characteristic features include, among others, the ratios of the levels of (1) water to fat, (2) choline to creatine and (3) methyl to methylene in both benign and malignant tumors. We will use a GE Medical Systems MRI/MRS scanner to record the spectra. Commercial software will be used to analyze the spectra, and to perform statistical analyses for the accurate discrimination of benign from malignant tissue using spectral features. A group of 10 controls, women with healthy breast tissue, will also be studied for comparison and baseline measurements.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 This project will study, in greater depth, some chemicals ignored or observed superficially in other MRS studies. In addition, it will employ rigorous statistical methods to evaluate the importance of the various chemicals, rather than simply noting differences in their average concentrations between tissues of different types. The performance of this 2-D MRS technique will be evaluated using several measures: sensitivity (the fraction of actually malignant cases diagnosed correctly), specificity (the fraction of actually benign cases diagnosed correctly) and accuracy (the fraction of all cases diagnosed correctly). These measures of performance will predict the potential of 2-D MRS to become a useful tool for breast cancer screening. Possible applications of 2-D MRS include the reduction of unnecessary biopsies in women with benign tumors, the earlier introduction of therapy in women with malignant tumors, the progressive monitoring of radiation and chemotherapy effects in women treated for breast cancer, and a test for breast cancer in younger women for whom mammography is not a useful option.