title: Evaluation of breast cancer chemotherapy efficacy with multifractal spectrum analysis of magnetic resonance image.
abstract: Multifractal spectrum analysis of dynamic contrast enhanced (DCE) breast MR images was used to establish a new quantitative analysis method for solid tumor blood perfusion and to explore its applicability in evaluating efficacy of breast cancer chemotherapy. Five randomly selected patients suffering from newly diagnosed malignant breast nodule lesions were enrolled in this study, and four of them were treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Their DCE breast MR images were collected before and after treatment. Chemotherapeutic efficacy was analyzed using international response evaluation criteria for solid tumors (RECIST). Sandbox method for statistical number density was employed to measure and calculate multifractal spectra of DCE breast MR images with spatiotemporal characteristics. Multifractal spectral data of malignant lesions before and after chemotherapy were compared. Multifractal spectra of malignant lesions show an asymmetric bell-shape. Chemotherapy efficacy was assessed to be partial remission (PR) for three patients and their multifractal spectral width significantly increased after chemotherapy while to be stable disease (SD) for other patient and of her changed slightly. Multifractal spectral width correlates with blood-supply condition of tumor lesion before and after chemotherapy, providing a potential suitable characteristic parameter for evaluating chemotherapeutic efficacy quantitatively.
authors.affiliation: School of Physics and Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China State Key Laboratory of Oncology in Southern China, Imaging Diagnostic and Interventional Center, Cancer Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510060, China.
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Wen-yong
authors.initials: WY
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Li-zhi
authors.initials: LZ
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Ya-chun
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Pang
authors.forename: Yuan-zhi
authors.initials: YZ
authors.lastname: Shao
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology*; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D003287:Contrast Media / Q000737:chemistry; D016208:Databases, Factual; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D017709:Fractals; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008875:Middle Aged; D012074:Remission Induction; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D003287:Contrast Media
keywords: Breast cancer; image processing; magnetic resonance imaging; multifractal spectrum