Correlation Of Quantitative MRI Parameters With Mammographic Pattern: Risk Of Breast Cancer

Improved quantitative magnetic resonance (MR) imaging techniques have been developed and used to measure relative water content, T1 and T2 relaxation times for breast tissue. Two groups of women with mammographic parenchymal appearance associated with high (Dy, n=ll) and low (Nl, n=l 1) risk of breast cancer were measured. The two groups have significantly different average relative water content (pc0.001) and average T1 (pcO.0001). Pixel histograms of T2 values show marked differences between the two groups which can be characterized with a fourth moment parameter. Additional measures of texture such as fractal dimension and fraction of dysplastic tissue have been used to analyze the x-ray mammograms and compare with the MR parameters.