title: Correlation Between MRI and the Level of Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocytes in Patients With Triple-Negative Breast Cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Increased levels of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) positively correlate with the pathologic complete response rate and increased survival in patients with triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). The purpose of this study was to investigate associations between TIL levels and MRI findings in patients with TNBC.
  
  
  METHODS
  From February 2006 through December 2014, a total of 112 women with TNBC were selected for inclusion in the study. All lesions were evaluated by radiologists in accordance with the BI-RADS lexicon. Lymph node involvement and multifocality were also assessed. Tumors were divided into two groups: those with a TIL level of less than 50% were included in the group with low TIL levels (hereafter referred to as the "low-TIL group"), and those with a TIL level of 50% or more were included in the group with high TIL levels (hereafter referred to as the "high-TIL group"). Associations between TIL levels and imaging features were evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Tumors in the high-TIL group had a more round shape (46.0%), a circumscribed margin (76.0%), homogeneous enhancement (32.0%), and absence of multifocality (88.0%) (p < 0.005). Tumors in the low-TIL group had a more irregular shape (69.3%), no circumscribed margin (79.0%), heterogeneous enhancement (75.8%), and multifocality (70.9%) (p < 0.005).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The well-known typical features of TNBC on MRI, including a round shape, a circumscribed margin, homogeneous enhancement, and lack of multifocality, are a major pattern of TNBC with high TIL levels. This information could provide added diagnostic benefit for the identification of tumors with a good prognosis, which could further assist in optimal pretreatment planning.
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Radiology and Research Institute of Radiology, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center, 88 Olympic-ro 43-gil, Songpa-Gu, Seoul 05505, Korea.|2 Present address: Department of Radiology, Inha University Hospital, Inha University School of Medicine, Incheon, Korea.
authors.forename: You Jin
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Ku
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Radiology and Research Institute of Radiology, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center, 88 Olympic-ro 43-gil, Songpa-Gu, Seoul 05505, Korea.
authors.forename: Hak Hee
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Radiology and Research Institute of Radiology, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center, 88 Olympic-ro 43-gil, Songpa-Gu, Seoul 05505, Korea.
authors.forename: Joo Hee
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Cha
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Radiology and Research Institute of Radiology, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center, 88 Olympic-ro 43-gil, Songpa-Gu, Seoul 05505, Korea.
authors.forename: Hee Jung
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Radiology and Research Institute of Radiology, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center, 88 Olympic-ro 43-gil, Songpa-Gu, Seoul 05505, Korea.
authors.forename: Soo Heui
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Baek
authors.affiliation: 3 Department of Pathology, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Hee Jin
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: 3 Department of Pathology, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Gyungyub
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gong
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003287:Contrast Media; D038524:Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D005260:Female; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA; D006801:Humans; D016246:Lymphocytes, Tumor-Infiltrating; D008536:Meglumine; D008875:Middle Aged; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D064726:Triple Negative Breast Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D008536:Meglumine; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA; C072417:gadoterate meglumine
keywords: MRI; optimal planning; prognosis; triple-negative breast cancer; tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes