DYNAMIC 3D-MR MAMMOGRAPHY - IS THERE A BENEFIT OF SOPHISTICATED EVALUATION FOR ENHANCEMENT CURVES FOR CLINICAL ROUTINE

The purpose of the study was to compare standard analysis with pharmac okinetic analysis of time-intensity curves in dynamic three-dimensiona l (3D) MR mammography (MRM) for their capability of differentiating be nign from malignant disease. Dynamic MRM of the whole breast was perfo rmed at 1.0 T using an axial fast low-angle shot (FLASH) 3D sequence. For the standard evaluation, the enhancement of the first minute (E(1) ) and the slope of enhancement from minute 2 to 10 (SE(2-10)) were cal culated. For pharmacokinetic analysis, the amplitude of enhancement (A ), distribution time (t(21)), and elimination time (t(el)) were comput ed. Sixty-two histologically verified lesions were evaluated. The stan dard evaluation methods yielded a highly signifiant difference between benign and malignant disease for E(1) (P = .0008) and SE(2-10) (P = . 0001). The pharmacokinetic parameters gained similarly significant P v alues (A, P = .0014; t(21), P = .0024; t(el), P = .0001). Both standar d and pharmacokinetic analysis concordantly discriminated between beni gn and malignant lesions in discriminant analysis. Compared with stand ard analysis, a pharmacokinetic analysis of time-intensity curves is n ot beneficial for routine clinical diagnosis.