磁共振波谱技术在乳腺癌诊断中的应用

目的:利用氢质子磁共振波谱(1H MRS)技术检测活体乳腺癌病灶与对侧正常乳腺组织内的物质代谢和物质生化含量的差异及其反映在分子水平上的病理改变。方法:对30例经乳腺钼靶摄影疑为一侧乳腺癌的患者行1H MRS检查,比较其病侧与对侧相应部位正常腺体组织的胆碱(Choline,Cho)、乳酸(Lactine,Lac)含量有无显著性差异。结果:正常乳腺组织1H MRS在1.32ppm处显示一独立清晰的乳酸峰,胆碱峰显示低平,Cho峰顶与Lac峰顶的连线呈上升趋势。30例病侧组在3.2ppm处Cho峰显著增高,Lac峰明显降低,Cho峰顶与Lac峰顶的连线呈下降趋势;两组间行秩和检验,差异有显著性(P<0.05)。结论:氢质子磁共振波谱(1H MRS)对于乳腺癌的定性诊断可提供有价值的辅助信息。     

In vivo and ex vivo proton MR spectroscopy of primary and secondary melanoma

In vivo magnetic resonance (MR) spectroscopy at 1.5T was performed on a large polypoid cutaneous melanoma, and two enlarged lymph nodes containing metastatic melanoma, from three patients. Spectra were acquired in vivo from voxels wholly within the primary tumour or secondary lymph node and were thus uncontaminated by signals from adjacent tissue. Tissue biopsies taken after resection of primary tumours and secondary lymph nodes were examined by 8.5T magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) and the results compared with the in vivo spectra, and with spectra from normal skin and a benign skin lesion. There was good agreement between the dominant features of 1.5T spectra acquired in vivo and 8.5T spectra acquired from resected tissue. However, less intense resonances observed at 8.5T in malignant biopsy tissue were not consistently observed at 1.5T in vivo. In vivo spectra from primary and metastatic melanoma showed high levels of choline metabolites. An intense lactate resonance was also present in the in vivo spectrum of primary melanoma. All 8.5T spectra of biopsies from primary and secondary melanoma showed high levels of choline metabolites and lactate, and additional resonances consistent with elevated levels of taurine, alanine, lysine, and glutamate/glutamine relative to normal and benign tissue. Elevated levels of choline, lactate, taurine, and amino acids appear to be clinically useful markers for identifying the pathology of primary and metastatic melanoma.     

Characterization of intracranial mass lesions with in vivo proton MR spectroscopy.

PURPOSETo assess the use of in vivo proton MR spectroscopy for characterization of intracranial mass lesions and to ascertain its reliability in grading of gliomas.METHODSOne hundred twenty patients with intracranial masses were subjected to volume selective spectroscopy using stimulated echo acquisition mode (echo time, 20 and 270 milliseconds) and spin echo (echo time, 135 milliseconds) sequences. The intracranial lesions were grouped into intraaxial and extraaxial, as judged with MR imaging. Assignment of resonances was confirmed in two samples each of brain abscess, epidermoid cyst, and tuberculoma using ex vivo high-resolution MR spectroscopy.RESULTSThe in vivo spectra appeared distinct compared with normal brain in all the cases. All high-grade gliomas (n = 37) showed high choline and low or absent N-acetyl-L-aspartate and creatine along with lipid and/or lactate, whereas low-grade gliomas (n = 23) were characterized by low N-acetyl-aspartate and creatine and high choline and presence of only lactate. N-acetyl-aspartate/choline ratio was significantly lower and choline/creatine ratio was significantly higher in high-grade gliomas than in low-grade gliomas. Presence of lipids suggested a higher grade of malignancy. All metastases (n = 7) showed lipid and lactate, whereas choline was visible in only four cases. Epidermoids showed resonances from lactate and an unassigned resonance at 1.8 ppm. Meningiomas could be differentiated from schwannomas by the presence of alanine in the former. Among the infective masses, pyogenic abscesses (n = 6) showed resonances only from cytosolic amino acids, lactate, alanine, and acetate; and tuberculomas (n = 11) showed only lipid resonances.CONCLUSIONSIn vivo proton MR spectroscopy, helps in tissue characterization of intracranial mass lesions. Spectroscopy is a reliable technique for grading of gliomas when N-acetyl-aspartate/choline and choline/creatine ratios and presence of lipids are used in combination.     

Characterization of lesions of the breast with proton MR spectroscopy: comparison of carcinomas, benign lesions, and phyllodes tumors

OBJECTIVE: Proton MR spectroscopy is a recently described technique with high sensitivity and specificity for differentiating breast carcinoma from benign lesions. We evaluated the possible relationship between spectroscopy results and the tumor proliferative index, angiogenesis, and HER2/neu oncogene overexpression. SUBJECTS AND METHODS. We prospectively evaluated 19 breast carcinomas, 21 benign breast lesions (including 18 fibroadenomas, one fibrocystic change, one hamartoma, and one papilloma), and six phyllodes tumors (four benign, two of borderline malignancy) using proton MR spectroscopy. All lesions were larger than 1.5 cm. Tumor Ki-67 proliferative index, tumor angiogenesis, and HER2/neu oncogene overexpression were evaluated by immunohistochemistry of the histologic material. RESULTS: Spectroscopy findings were positive in 17 (89%) of 19 carcinomas but negative for all benign lesions and phyllodes tumors (sensitivity, 89%; specificity, 100%). Significantly higher levels were obtained for all biologic parameters in carcinomas compared with benign lesions and phyllodes tumors. HER2/neu oncogene overexpression was present in 37% of carcinomas but not in other lesions. The two false-negative findings of breast carcinoma showed similar Ki-67 proliferative index and microvessel density compared with the remaining carcinomas, but both cases were negative for HER2/neu overexpression. CONCLUSION: Proton MR spectroscopy is useful in the in vivo characterization of breast masses when the lesion exceeds 1.5 cm in maximal dimension. Spectroscopy is unable to reveal benign breast lesions and phyllodes tumors of benign and borderline malignancy. We suggest that a false-negative spectroscopic result may be related to an absence of HER2/neu overexpression in carcinoma of the breast.     

Human breast lesions: characterization with contrast-enhanced in vivo proton MR spectroscopy--initial results.

PURPOSE: To assess the clinical usefulness of localized proton (hydrogen 1) magnetic resonance (MR) spectroscopy in the characterization of contrast material-enhanced breast lesions on the basis of choline detection. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Examinations were performed at 1.5 T with use of a standard breast coil. Contrast-enhanced MR imaging was performed in 30 consecutive patients (mean age, 50 years; age range, 20--80 years) who had nonspecific lesions (>1.5 cm in diameter) on sonograms or mammograms. Single-voxel (1)H MR spectroscopy was performed in the enhancing lesions by using a point-resolved spectroscopic sequence with echo times of 38, 135, and 270 msec. MR spectroscopic and histopathologic findings were determined in blinded fashion and compared. RESULTS: Twenty-four patients had carcinoma of the breast (tumor size, 2.0--11.2 cm; mean, 4.7 cm), and six had benign lesions (lesion size, 1.8--3.8 cm; mean, 2.7 cm). Choline was detected in 22 patients with carcinoma. Choline was not detected in five patients with benign lesions and in two patients with carcinoma. The preliminary results indicate that this technique had a sensitivity of 92%, specificity of 83%, and accuracy of 90%. CONCLUSION: Choline can be reliably detected in less than 45 minutes in large contrast-enhanced breast lesions by using a multiecho point-resolved spectroscopic protocol. The presence of water-soluble choline metabolites obtainable with (1)H MR spectroscopy could complement MR imaging findings to improve specificity and to reduce the number of unnecessary biopsies.     

定量多体素质子MR波谱成像确定乳腺病变中的胆碱浓度:一种有望排除良性病变的无创性评估方法

目的确定定量多体素质子MR波谱数据中的胆碱浓度最佳阈值,以可靠定性良性乳腺病变。材料与方法本研究获伦理委员会认可,并取得了所有病人的知情同意。2009年7月—2010年7月,连续24例病人共25个乳腺病变(乳腺影像报告及数据系统评定为3分或4分,且乳腺摄片上直径>1cm)进行了多体素MR波谱成像。首先进行无信     

Monitoring the therapeutic response of locally advanced breast cancer patients: sequential in vivo proton MR spectroscopy study

PURPOSE: To evaluate the use of the water-to-fat (W-F) value obtained from in vivo proton ((1)H) MR spectroscopy (MRS) as a response indicator of cytologically confirmed patients with locally advanced breast cancer (LABC), and to monitor the therapeutic response of such patients to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Serial (1)H MR spectra were recorded both before and after the completion of chemotherapy in 33 LABC patients (with infiltrating ductal carcinoma (IDC)) at 1.5T. In addition, spectra from normal breast tissues of 28 healthy volunteers were recorded. RESULTS: Malignant breast tissues showed elevated W-F values compared to normal breast tissues of controls. Statistically significant higher pretherapy W-F value (P < 0.01) was observed in patients compared to controls. In patients who received NACT resulting in the reduction of the primary tumor size, the W-F value showed a decrease that was statistically significant (P < 0.01). Analysis of the MR data further indicates that the W-F value had no correlation with the menstrual status of the patients. A comparison of pretherapy W-F value with pretherapy tumor volume showed a fair correlation (P = 0.05), while the posttherapy W-F value showed no such correlation with the posttherapy tumor volume. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates that simple, conventional in vivo (1)H MRS is a useful technique for monitoring the therapeutic response of breast cancer patients. The observed trend in the reduction of W-F value provides a noninvasive response indicator to monitor the clinical outcome of locally advanced breast cancer patients to NACT.     

Brain abscesses: etiologic categorization with in vivo proton MR spectroscopy

PURPOSE: To compare the metabolite patterns observed at in vivo proton magnetic resonance (MR) spectroscopy of brain abscesses in patients for whom bacteriologic information was obtained from cultures and to categorize the MR spectral patterns with respect to the underlying etiologic agents. MATERIALS AND METHODS: MR imaging and in vivo single-voxel proton MR spectroscopic data obtained from 75 patients with brain abscesses were retrospectively analyzed. Ex vivo spectroscopic experiments with the pus from 45 of these patients also were performed, and the data were further categorized on the basis of bacteriologic information. Quantification of various metabolites and metabolite ratios and statistical analyses of lactate and lactate/amino acid (AA) ratio levels were performed by using one-way analysis of variance. RESULTS: On the basis of in vivo proton MR spectroscopic and bacteriologic analysis findings, data were classified into three categories: Group 1 data showed resonances of lactate, AAs, and acetate, with or without succinate at proton MR spectroscopy; cultures for this group showed obligate anaerobes or a mixture of obligate and facultative anaerobes. The metabolite patterns in the group 2 and group 3 data were similar to the pattern of the group 1 data, with the exception that acetate and succinate resonances were absent. Culture was positive for either obligate aerobes or facultative anaerobes in group 2 and was sterile in group 3. At analysis of variance, in vivo data showed significant differences in lactate/AA ratios (P =.008), and ex vivo data showed significant differences in lactate levels (P =.001) among the three groups. CONCLUSION: It is possible to differentiate anaerobic from aerobic or sterile brain abscesses on the basis of metabolite patterns observed at in vivo proton MR spectroscopy. This information may be useful in facilitating prompt and appropriate treatment of patients with these abscesses.     

乳腺多体素1H-MRS研究进展

乳腺动态增强MRI目前临床应用广泛,但其特异度较低,对病变的定性诊断不能完全满足临床需要。MRS是目前唯一能提供病变内生化信息的无创检测手段,将MRS作为常规MRI补充扫描可以提高其特异度。综述乳腺多体素1H-MRS应用的病理生化基础,3.2ppm处由胆碱和含胆碱复合物组成的复合胆碱峰,可以作为恶性肿瘤的标志。探讨乳腺病变感兴趣区波谱的获得及其后处理量化分析和多体素1H-MRS临床应用面临的技术挑战,并评价多体素1H-MRS在乳腺肿瘤的诊断和鉴别诊断等方面独特的潜在应用价值。     

Differentiation of tuberculous from pyogenic brain abscesses with in vivo proton MR spectroscopy and magnetization transfer MR imaging

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: MR imaging features are nonspecific with respect to the causative organism for patients with brain abscesses. On the basis of the hypothesis that the biochemical environment depends on the infecting organism and might be different in tuberculous compared with pyogenic brain abscesses, this study attempted to determine whether pyogenic brain abscesses can be differentiated from tuberculous brain abscesses by use of magnetization transfer (MT) MR imaging and in vivo proton MR spectroscopy. METHODS: Twenty-seven patients with a total of 33 pyogenic brain abscesses and three patients with a total of 12 tuberculous abscesses were evaluated with in vivo MR spectroscopy and MT MR imaging. The diagnosis in all cases was based on the culture of the causative organisms and histopathology whenever done as a part of clinical management. RESULTS: All 27 patients with pyogenic brain abscesses had lipid and lactate levels of 1.3 ppm and amino acid levels of 0.9 ppm with or without the presence of succinate, acetate, alanine, and glycine, while the three patients with tuberculous abscesses showed only such lipid and lactate levels. The MT ratio from the wall of the pyogenic abscesses was significantly higher (P <.001) than that from the tuberculous abscess wall. CONCLUSION: It might be possible to differentiate tuberculous abscesses from pyogenic abscesses by using MT MR imaging and in vivo MR spectroscopy, which could be of value in influencing the management of such cases.     

Fine-needle aspiration of breast biopsy specimens: correlation of histologic and cytologic findings.

The accuracy of fine-needle aspiration (FNA) cytologic diagnosis of nonpalpable breast lesions and the prevalence of neoplasm occurring in areas unrelated to the radiologic abnormality were studied. Template-guided FNA cytologic examination was performed in 101 surgically excised breast specimens. The exact area of the mammographic abnormality was aspirated with radiographic control. Despite accurate placement of the needle for aspiration, seven of 101 aspirates (7%) yielded insufficient cytologic material. Ninety-four of the 101 aspirates (93%) were adequate for diagnosis. The cytologic diagnosis was benign in 58 (62%), atypical in seven (7%), suspicious for malignancy in four (4%), and malignant in 25 (27%). All cases diagnosed as suspicious or malignant and five of 58 cases diagnosed as benign at cytologic examination proved to be malignant at histologic examination. In three of these five the malignancy was in the area of the radiologic abnormality; in two it was not. FNA cytologic examination can be helpful in evaluating nonpalpable breast lesions, but it is not as accurate as histologic examination of surgically excised lesions.     

Precursor lesions of invasive breast cancer

The increasing application of mammography, mainly in screening programs for the early detection of breast cancer, and the high technical standard of imaging has resulted in the detection of clinically occult breast tumors. Considering that only diagnosis at an early stage will be able to change the prognosis of breast cancer, this diagnostic challenge appears to be the most exciting field in both breast imaging and breast pathology. Especially the precursor lesions need to be diagnosed and defined precisely to understand their prognostic significance. In imaging, the morphologic appearance of precursor lesions is usually neither typical nor pathognomonic. They have to be assessed histologically using percutaneous interventions. Recent molecular studies have demonstrated various genetic alterations in the ductal epithelium, with the earliest onset in atypical ductal hyperplasia. The recent WHO classification, which is based on molecular data and histopathological features, attempts to define in particular the precursor lesions and low grade intraductal carcinomas. The clinical importance of the various grades has to be assessed. Intimate cooperation between diagnostic radiologist and pathologist is essential.