Correlation between contrast enhancement in dynamic magnetic resonance imaging of the breast and tumor angiogenesis.
OBJECTIVE
The authors determined the relation between tumor angiogenesis in small invasive breast carcinoma and contrast enhancement on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) after gadolinium injection.


METHODS
Magnetic resonance imaging was performed before surgery in a prospective study of 20 patients who had a small palpable lump. Spin-echo sequences after injection of gadolinium were studied by factor analysis of medical image sequences and were compared with a histologic quantification of tumor angiogenesis after immunocytochemical staining.


RESULTS
In nine cases, there was good correlation between the MRI and the histologic plane. In four patients, an early factor was found on MRI. This factor was related to a high concentration of arterioles located in the stroma or, in one patient, to the intratumor repair process.


CONCLUSIONS
Early enhancement correlated well with the number of vessels determined histologically.
Frouge
C
C
Department of Radiology, Hôpital de Bicêtre, France.
Guinebretière
J M
JM
Contesso
G
G
Di Paola
R
R
Bléry
M
M
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000175:diagnosis; D018270:Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast / Q000098:blood supply / Q000737:chemistry / Q000175:diagnosis; D018275:Carcinoma, Lobular / Q000098:blood supply / Q000737:chemistry / Q000175:diagnosis; D003287:Contrast Media; D006571:Heterocyclic Compounds; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008875:Middle Aged; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000175:diagnosis*; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D011446:Prospective Studies
D003287:Contrast Media; D006571:Heterocyclic Compounds; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; C050823:gadolinium 1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane-N,N',N'',N'''-tetraacetate