Assessment of Hypoxia in Breast Cancer: Emerging Functional MR Imaging and Spectroscopy Techniques and Clinical Applications

Abstract

Breast cancer is one of the most prevalent forms of cancer affecting women worldwide. Hypoxia, a condition characterized by insufficient oxygen supply in tumor tissues, is closely associated with tumor aggressiveness, resistance to therapy, and poor clinical outcomes. Accurate assessment of tumor hypoxia can guide treatment decisions, predict therapy response, and contribute to the development of targeted therapeutic interventions. Over the years, functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) techniques have emerged as promising noninvasive imaging options for evaluating hypoxia in cancer. Such techniques include blood oxygen level‐dependent (BOLD) MRI, oxygen‐enhanced MRI (OE) MRI, chemical exchange saturation transfer (CEST) MRI, and proton MRS (1H‐MRS). These may help overcome the limitations of the routinely used dynamic contrast‐enhanced (DCE) MRI and diffusion‐weighted imaging (DWI) techniques, contributing to better diagnosis and understanding of the biological features of breast cancer. This review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the emerging functional MRI and MRS techniques for assessing hypoxia in breast cancer, along with their evolving clinical applications. The integration of these techniques in clinical practice holds promising implications for breast cancer management.Evidence Level5Technical EfficacyStage 1