Detecting blood oxygen level‐dependent (BOLD) contrast in the breast

Abstract

Purpose: To develop a robust technique for detecting blood oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD) contrast in the human breast and to evaluate the signal in healthy and malignant breast. Materials and Methods:The design of this study focused on determining the optimal pulse sequence and stimulus for detecting BOLD contrast in the breast. For this study a single-shot fast spin echo (SSFSE) sequence was compared to a gradient echo (GRE) pulse sequence. Also, several hyperoxic stimuli were tested on 15 healthy volunteers to determine the best stimulus for inducing BOLD contrast in the breast: air interleaved with carbogen (95% O 2 , 5% CO 2 ), air interleaved with oxygen, and oxygen interleaved with carbogen. The stimulus with the most consistent results among the healthy population was tested on three breast cancer patients.Results: An SSFSE pulse sequence produced improved BOLD contrast results in the breast compared to a GRE pulse sequence. Oxygen interleaved with carbogen yielded the most consistent results in the healthy population. BOLD contrast in healthy glandular breast tissue positively correlates with carbogen and malignant tissue mostly negatively correlates to carbogen.Conclusion: BOLD contrast can consistently be detected in the breast using a robust protocol. This methodology may be used in the future as a noninvasive method for evaluating tumor oxygenation.

Detecting gas‐induced vasomotor changes via blood oxygenation level‐dependent contrast in healthy breast parenchyma and breast carcinoma

“…In particular, tissues outside the brain may be less avid and therefore show a steal effect, which could help account for different regions of positive and negative response. We agree with Rakow‐Penner et al that results in patients are highly variable, which is expected due to biodiversity in the underlying tumor vasculature 15. A mixed phase response was seen in patients, as three out of the five patients analyzed exhibited a predominantly positive response to carbogen in the fibroglandular tissue region.…”

“…Rakow‐Penner et al previously proposed a more robust method to detect BOLD vasomotor contrast in the breast,15 deriving BOLD contrast from T 2 ‐weighted fast spin echo images, rather than T 2 *‐weighted gradient‐recalled echo imaging. Oxygen interleaved with carbogen was found to yield the most consistent BOLD response in healthy breast parenchyma compared to air interleaved with either oxygen or carbogen, although the results across subjects were still variable.…”

Pilot study assessment of dynamic vascular changes in breast cancer with near-infrared tomography from prospectively targeted manipulations of inspired end-tidal partial pressure of oxygen and carbon dioxide

“…Oxygenation changes in tumor during hyperoxic and hypercarbic gas breathing have also been imaged in animal models 9,10 and humans. [11][12][13] In these cases, the inspired gas stimulates a change in intravascular oxygenation, which enhances/modifies the diffusion of soluble oxygen into tissue, eventually inducing greater O 2 uptake in tumors. The approach represents more than just a passive hypoxia measurement because it is a direct probe of the responsiveness, and thereby aggressiveness, of the tumor.…”

Multiparametrische und molekulare Bildgebung von Brusttumoren mit MRT und PET‑MRT

“…ist mit Tumorprogression, Angiogense, Therapieresistenz, Lokalrezidiven und Fernmetastasierung assoziiert. Mit der BOLD-MRT oder der intrinsischen suszeptibilitätsgewichteten Bildgebung steht eine nichtinvasive Methode zur indirekten Messung von Tumorperfusion und Hypoxie zur Verfügung [43]. Erste Ergebnisse lassen darauf schließen, dass mithilfe der BOLD-MRT nichtinvasiv die Tumorhypoxie in Brusttumoren erfasst werden und als bildgebender Biomarker in der Verlaufskontrolle bei neoadjuvanter Therapie genutzt werden kann [44,45].…”