Analysis of Volumetric Perfusion Quantitative Parameters Using CS-VIBE Breast Dynamic Contrast Enhanced MR Imaging

Abstract

Purpose: To evaluate the diagnostic performance of three-dimensional volume of interest (3D-VOI) perfusion quantitative parameters using CS-VIBE DCE-MRI, and investigate the relationship of the prognostic factors. Patients and Methods: The volumetric perfusion quantitative parameters of Ktrans, Kep, Ve, Vp, of 124 pathologically proven breast masses in 93 patients were obtained using the two-compartment extended Tofts model. Also, the perfusion parameters of AUC, TTP, Emax, wash-in, and washout were automatically calculated using post-processing software. The relationship between the perfusion quantitative parameters and lesion size, pathology, and prognostic factors of malignancy was evaluated. Results: Ktrans and Kep were significantly higher in the malignant than the benign lesions (p < 0.001), and the AUROC of Ktrans and Kep were 0.802 and 0.815, respectively. The area under DCE curve, TTP, Emax, wash-in, and wash-out were significantly different between the benign and malignant lesion (p <0.05). In multiple linear regression analysis, Ktrans and Kep were significantly different between benign and malignant tumors. Malignant tumors larger than 2cm were significantly different from those smaller than 2cm in Ktrans, Kep, Vp, area under DCE curve, TTP, Emax, and wash-in values (p < 0.05). TTP was significantly lower in higher Ki-67 index (p <0.05). Conclusion: Perfusion quantitative parameters may be applied as a feasible imaging biomarker to discriminate malignant from benign tumors. In malignant lesions, perfusion parameters were not associated with histopathological results, but only in tumor size.