Utilisation of MR spectroscopy and diffusion weighted imaging in predicting and monitoring of breast cancer response to chemotherapy.
Neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) is the standard treatment option for breast cancer as more data shows that pathologic complete response (pCR) after NACT correlates with improved prognosis. MRI is accepted as the best imaging modality for evaluating the response to NACT in many studies as compared with clinical examination and other imaging modalities. In vivo magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) and diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) studies have both emerged as potential tools to provide early response indicators based on the changes in the metabolites and the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) respectively. In this review article, we aim to discuss the strength and limitations of MRS and DWI in monitoring of early response breast cancer to NACT.
Department of Radiology, John Hunter Hospital, Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia.
Kin Men
KM
Leong
Department of Radiology, John Hunter Hospital, Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia.
Peter
P
Lau
School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medicine, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia.
Saadallah
S
Ramadan
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant / Q000379:methods; D038524:Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D016903:Drug Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D057054:Molecular Imaging / Q000379:methods; D011379:Prognosis; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor
breast cancer; diffusion weighted imaging; magnetic resonance imaging; magnetic resonance spectroscopy; neoadjuvant chemotherapy