title: High spectral and spatial resolution MRI of breast lesions: preliminary clinical experience.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In previous research, high spectral and spatial resolution (HiSS) echo-planar spectroscopic imaging (EPSI) was successfully applied to the human breast, obtaining improved contrast, anatomic detail, and sensitivity to contrast agents. To test HiSS in the clinical setting, we used HiSS MRI to image 30 women with suspicious breast lesions.
  
  
  METHODS
  Women with suspicious breast lesions were scanned before and after contrast administration using EPSI at 1.5 T (0.63-mm in-plane resolution, 2.6-Hz spectral resolution). Images with intensity proportional to the water signal peak height in each voxel were synthesized and compared with standard clinical fat-saturated and early dynamic subtraction images. Pre- and postcontrast HiSS images were compared to assess the effect of the contrast agent on water resonance structure.
  
  
  RESULTS
  HiSS images scored significantly better than standard clinical images in lesion conspicuity, margin definition, and internal definition, even though they were acquired before contrast agent injection. Fat suppression was more complete and uniform and detail was shown on HiSS images more clearly than on conventional fat-saturation images. Thus, HiSS images often allowed easier evaluation of the lesion. Contrast agent-affected changes were often spatially and spectrally inhomogeneous.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  HiSS scans were successfully integrated into standard clinical examinations and provided diagnostically useful images before contrast agent injection. Thus, it might be possible to characterize suspicious lesions on the basis of precontrast high-resolution spectral information. This information and information about the effect of contrast agents could potentially improve the specificity of breast MRI.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, The University of Chicago, 5841 S Maryland Avenue, MC 2026, Chicago, IL 60637, USA.
authors.forename: Milica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Medved
authors.forename: Gillian M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Newstead
authors.forename: Hiroyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Abe
authors.forename: Marta A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Zamora
authors.forename: Olufunmilayo I
authors.initials: OI
authors.lastname: Olopade
authors.forename: Gregory S
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Karczmar
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003287:Contrast Media; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D017352:Echo-Planar Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media