MR measurement of relative water content and multicomponent T2 relaxation in human breast

MR techniques providing accurate measurement of relative volumetric water content and multicomponent T2 relaxation times from a large volume of interest, have been implemented for characterization of breast tissue in vivo. In a sequence of 20‐s breath‐holds, data are obtained from much of the breast volume while suppressing signal from the chest wall and torso. Relative water content of each breast is calculated from one‐dimensional fat and water profiles obtained using a hybrid two‐point Dixon method (TE/TR=17/5000 ms). Multicomponent T2 relaxation measurements are calculated from T2 decay curves obtained using a CPMG train of rectangular pulses (TE/TR=8/5000 ms, 140 echoes) preceded by saturation pulses to localize longitudinal magnetization spatially. These techniques, validated in phantoms and human volunteers, are suitable for quantitative study of breast tissue in vivo, and in particular to investigate the potential role of MR for assessment of breast cancer risk.

[1]  M. Bronskill,et al.  Criteria for analysis of multicomponent tissue T2 relaxation data , 1996, Magnetic resonance in medicine.

[2]  G M Bydder,et al.  MR Imaging: Clinical Use of the Inversion Recovery Sequence , 1985, Journal of computer assisted tomography.

[3]  C. S. Poon,et al.  Robust Refocusing Pulses of Limited Power , 1995 .

[4]  A. MacKay,et al.  Spin‐spin relaxation in experimental allergic Encephalomyelitis. Analysis of CPMG data using a non‐linear least squares method and linear inverse theory , 1993, Magnetic resonance in medicine.

[5]  J. Pauly,et al.  Parameter relations for the Shinnar-Le Roux selective excitation pulse design algorithm [NMR imaging]. , 1991, IEEE transactions on medical imaging.

[6]  W. D. Bidgood,et al.  Fat tissue and fat suppression. , 1993, Magnetic resonance imaging.

[7]  A Haase,et al.  Localization of unaffected spins in NMR imaging and spectroscopy (LOCUS spectroscopy) , 1986, Magnetic resonance in medicine.

[8]  N F Boyd,et al.  Mammographic parenchymal pattern and breast cancer risk: a critical appraisal of the evidence. , 1988, American journal of epidemiology.

[9]  R. Mark Henkelman,et al.  Analysis of biological NMR relaxation data with continuous distributions of relaxation times , 1986 .

[10]  G H Glover,et al.  Three‐point dixon technique for true water/fat decomposition with B0 inhomogeneity correction , 1991, Magnetic resonance in medicine.

[11]  S. J. Graham,et al.  Quantitative correlation of breast tissue parameters using magnetic resonance and X-ray mammography. , 1996, British Journal of Cancer.

[12]  New spatial localization method using pulsed high‐order field gradients (SHOT: Selection with high‐order gradient) , 1991, Magnetic resonance in medicine.

[13]  Brian K. Rutt,et al.  Projection presaturation: A fast and accurate technique for multidimensional spatial localization , 1990 .

[14]  D. Plewes,et al.  Separation of lipid and water MR imaging signals by chopper averaging in the time domain. , 1987, Radiology.

[15]  J. Farquhar,et al.  Studies of adipose tissue in man. A microtechnic for sampling and analysis. , 1960, The American journal of clinical nutrition.

[16]  D B Plewes,et al.  Changes in fibroglandular volume and water content of breast tissue during the menstrual cycle observed by MR imaging at 1.5 t , 1995, Journal of magnetic resonance imaging : JMRI.

[17]  Michael Garwood,et al.  Symmetric pulses to induce arbitrary flip angles with compensation for rf inhomogeneity and resonance offsets , 1991 .

[18]  D. R. White,et al.  The composition of body tissues. , 1986, The British journal of radiology.

[19]  Jens Frahm,et al.  Localized proton spectroscopy using stimulated echoes. , 1987 .

[20]  Roger J. Ordidge,et al.  Image-selected in Vivo spectroscopy (ISIS). A new technique for spatially selective nmr spectroscopy , 1986 .

[21]  M. Bronskill,et al.  Anisotropy of NMR properties of tissues , 1994, Magnetic resonance in medicine.

[22]  A. MacKay,et al.  In vivo visualization of myelin water in brain by magnetic resonance , 1994, Magnetic resonance in medicine.

[23]  Sam T. S. Wong,et al.  A strategy for sampling on a sphere applied to 3D selective RF pulse design , 1994, Magnetic resonance in medicine.

[24]  A. Miller,et al.  Quantitative classification of mammographic densities and breast cancer risk: results from the Canadian National Breast Screening Study. , 1995, Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

[25]  E. Purcell,et al.  Effects of Diffusion on Free Precession in Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Experiments , 1954 .

[26]  C S Poon,et al.  Quantitative magnetic resonance imaging parameters and their relationship to mammographic pattern. , 1992, Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

[27]  Alex L. MacKay,et al.  Quantitative interpretation of NMR relaxation data , 1989 .

[28]  C. S. Poon,et al.  Practical T2 quantitation for clinical applications , 1992, Journal of magnetic resonance imaging : JMRI.

[29]  M. Pike,et al.  Changes in mammographic densities induced by a hormonal contraceptive designed to reduce breast cancer risk. , 1994, Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

[30]  T. Foster,et al.  A review of normal tissue hydrogen NMR relaxation times and relaxation mechanisms from 1-100 MHz: dependence on tissue type, NMR frequency, temperature, species, excision, and age. , 1984, Medical physics.

[31]  P. J. Hore,et al.  Solvent suppression in Fourier transform nuclear magnetic resonance , 1983 .

[32]  S. Meiboom,et al.  Modified Spin‐Echo Method for Measuring Nuclear Relaxation Times , 1958 .

[33]  J. Morrisett,et al.  Quantitation of lipid in biological tissue by chemical shift magnetic resonance imaging , 1994, Magnetic resonance in medicine.

[34]  P. Allen,et al.  Proton Relaxation Studies of Water Compartmentalization in a Model Neurological System , 1992, Magnetic resonance in medicine.

[35]  R. Vold,et al.  Errors in measurements of transverse relaxation rates , 1973 .

[36]  C S Poon,et al.  Fat/water quantitation and differential relaxation time measurement using chemical shift imaging technique. , 1989, Magnetic resonance imaging.