Contrast-enhanced MR imaging as a prognostic indicator of breast cancer.
BACKGROUND
Using contrast-enhanced MR imaging in the diagnosis of breast cancer may provide additional information not only on tumor extension but also on the biological behavior of tumors. Thus certain characteristics such as tumor angiogenesis and the proliferating activity of the tumor, which have been shown to correlate significantly with prognosis, are both potentially amenable to analysis by MR imaging.


METHODS
We compared contrast enhancement in 50 malignant breast tumors at MR imaging to several prognostic factors, such as tumor size, lymph-node status, histological grade of malignancy, tumor angiogenesis, and proliferating activity as shown by the mitotic count and PCNA immunoreactivity.


RESULTS
There was significant correlation between contrast enhancement at MR imaging of breast cancer and both tumor angiogenesis and proliferative cellular activity as shown by PCNA immunoreactivity. Furthermore, there was a correlation between contrast enhancement and tumor malignancy grade as well as tumor invasiveness.


CONCLUSIONS
These observations suggest that contrast enhancement at MR imaging may be influenced by factors that have prognostic value. If this assumption is correct, contrast-enhanced MR imaging may become a valuable prognostic tool in the pre-operative evaluation of breast cancers.
Boné
B
B
Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Karolinska Institute, Huddinge University Hospital, Sweden.
Aspelin
P
P
Bronge
L
L
Veress
B
B
D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply / Q000737:chemistry / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D003287:Contrast Media; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008833:Microcirculation / Q000473:pathology; D008940:Mitotic Index; D011379:Prognosis; D018809:Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen / Q000032:analysis
D003287:Contrast Media; D018809:Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA