title: Critical role of spatial resolution in dynamic contrast-enhanced breast MRI.
abstract: The spatial resolution of three-dimensional (3D) gradient-echo T1-weighted images, from 40 women with 25 malignant and 23 benign lesions, was purposely degraded to determine the role of spatial resolution in recording, analysis, and diagnosis of dynamic contrast-enhanced breast MRI. Images were recorded and analyzed at pixel resolution according to the 3TP method (Degani et al., Nat Med 1997;3:780-782). Reduction in spatial resolution degraded the appearance of foci with fast wash-in and fast washout dynamics. This resulted in an increase in false-negative diagnoses. The sensitivity for differentiating between malignant and benign lesions, using threshold criteria defined by the 3TP analysis, of 76% decreased to 60% and 24% for a 2- and 4-fold reduction in spatial resolution, respectively, without affecting significantly the high specificity (96-100%). In order to minimize false-negative diagnoses of contrast-enhanced breast MRI and maintain high specificity, it is essential to record and analyze the dynamic behavior at high spatial resolution. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2001;13:862-867.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Regulation, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 76100, Israel.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Furman-Haran
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Grobgeld
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Kelcz
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Degani
mesh_terms: D001706:Biopsy; D001940:Breast / Q000473:pathology*; D001941:Breast Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D018270:Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D002285:Carcinoma, Intraductal, Noninfiltrating / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008327:Mammography; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D016217:Ultrasonography, Mammary