Improved visualization of breast lesions with gadolinium-enhanced magnetization transfer MR imaging
Corresponding Author
Wolfgang G. Schreiber Ph.D.
Department of Radiology, German Cancer Research Center (dkfz), Heidelberg, Germany
Department of Radiology, German Cancer Research Center, Im Neuenheimer Feld 280, D-69120 Heidelberg, Germany===Search for more papers by this authorGunnar Brix
Department of Radiology, German Cancer Research Center (dkfz), Heidelberg, Germany
Search for more papers by this authorMichael V. Knopp
Department of Radiology, German Cancer Research Center (dkfz), Heidelberg, Germany
Search for more papers by this authorThomas Heß
Department of Radiology, German Cancer Research Center (dkfz), Heidelberg, Germany
Search for more papers by this authorWalter J. Lorenz
Department of Radiology, German Cancer Research Center (dkfz), Heidelberg, Germany
Search for more papers by this authorCorresponding Author
Wolfgang G. Schreiber Ph.D.
Department of Radiology, German Cancer Research Center (dkfz), Heidelberg, Germany
Department of Radiology, German Cancer Research Center, Im Neuenheimer Feld 280, D-69120 Heidelberg, Germany===Search for more papers by this authorGunnar Brix
Department of Radiology, German Cancer Research Center (dkfz), Heidelberg, Germany
Search for more papers by this authorMichael V. Knopp
Department of Radiology, German Cancer Research Center (dkfz), Heidelberg, Germany
Search for more papers by this authorThomas Heß
Department of Radiology, German Cancer Research Center (dkfz), Heidelberg, Germany
Search for more papers by this authorWalter J. Lorenz
Department of Radiology, German Cancer Research Center (dkfz), Heidelberg, Germany
Search for more papers by this authorAbstract
A pulse sequence with magnetization transfer as the main contrast mechanism (MT-FLASH) was developed for improved imaging of breast lesions that requires neither fat suppression nor postprocessing. After optimization of the sequence in phantom and volunteer studies, a clinical pilot study with 14 patients was performed. In carcinomas the relative signal increase after Gd-DTPA administration was on average 34% in MT-FLASH images compared with 169% in conventional T1 weighted (T1W) three-dimensional FLASH images. In MT-FLASH images, all lesions demonstrated a signal intensity higher than that of fat; in T1W images, all lesions have a lower signal intensity. The average postcontrast carcinoma-to-fat contrast-to-noise ratios were +11.6 and −14.2, respectively. The conspicutty of 12 of 13 carcinomas was improved in postcontrast MT-FLASH images compared with postcontrast T1w images. Thus, MT-FLASH imaging enables excellent visualization of Gd-DTPA-enhancing breast lesions.
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