Study of normal breast tissue by in vivo volume localized proton MR Spectroscopy: variation of Water–Fat ratio in relation to the heterogeneity of the breast and the menstrual cycle

✍ Scribed by Uma Sharma; Mahesh Kumar; Rani G. Sah; Naranamangalam R. Jagannathan

• Publisher: Elsevier Science
• Year: 2009
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 395 KB
• Volume: 27
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0730-725X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.mri.2009.01.004

✦ Synopsis

Purpose:

To investigate the alterations in water-fat (w-f) ratio of the normal breast tissue of female volunteers as a function of the histological phases of the menstrual cycle.

Methods:

Image-guided volume localized in vivo proton ((1)h) magnetic resonance spectroscopy (mrs) at 1.5 t was carried out in the para-areolar region and the upper and lower quadrants of the normal breast tissue of volunteers (n=29; mean age 33.7+/-6 years) during five histological phases of the menstrual cycle.

Results:

A w-f value of 0.90+/-0.41 was observed for the para-areolar region during the proliferative phase, which reduced to 0.46+/-0.21 and 0.45+/-0.25 during follicular and luteal phases, respectively. the value increased to 0.76+/-0.61 during secretory and to 0.87+/-0.37 during menstrual phases. no significant difference was observed in the w-f value for the upper and the lower quadrants of the breast during various phases of the menstrual cycle. however, the w-f ratio of the para-areolar region was significantly higher compared to the upper and the lower quadrants during all phases. this reflects the dependence of w-f value on the amount of glandular and adipose tissues and the heterogeneous nature of the breast.

Conclusions:

Our results indicate that changes in the normal breast tissue characteristics occur due to physiological factors like menstrual cycle that strongly influences the w-f value especially the para-areolar region in a cyclic manner. thus any assessment of breast pathology using w-f values should be carried out carefully taking into consideration the location of the tumor within the breast as well as the time of menstruation.