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A Pilot Study of Compositional Analysis of the Breast and Estimation of Breast Mammographic Density Using Three-Dimensional T₁-Weighted Magnetic Resonance Imaging

¹ Institute of Cancer Research; ² University of Cambridge ³ Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge, United Kingdom; ⁴ University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom; and ⁵ Institute of Cancer Research and Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, Surrey, United Kingdom

Requests for reprints: Martin Leach, Institute of Cancer Research and Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, Downs Road, Sutton, Surrey, SM2 5PT United Kingdom. Phone: 442086613338; Fax: 442086610846. E-mail: martin.leach{at}icr.ac.uk

Purpose: A method and computer tool to estimate percentage magnetic resonance (MR) imaging (MRI) breast density using three-dimensional T₁-weighted MRI is introduced, and compared with mammographic percentage density [X-ray mammography (XRM)].

Materials and Methods: Ethical approval and informed consent were obtained. A method to assess MRI breast density as percentage volume occupied by water-containing tissue on three-dimensional T₁-weighted MR images is described and applied in a pilot study to 138 subjects who were imaged by both MRI and XRM during the Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Breast Screening study. For comparison, percentage mammographic density was measured from matching XRMs as a ratio of dense to total projection areas scored visually using a 21-point score and measured by applying a two-dimensional interactive program (CUMULUS). The MRI and XRM percent methods were compared, including assessment of left-right and interreader consistency.

Results: Percent MRI density correlated strongly (r = 0.78; P < 0.0001) with percent mammographic density estimated using Cumulus. Comparison with visual assessment also showed a strong correlation. The mammographic methods overestimate density compared with MRI volumetric assessment by a factor approaching 2.

Discussion: MRI provides direct three-dimensional measurement of the proportion of water-based tissue in the breast. It correlates well with visual and computerized percent mammographic density measurements. This method may have direct application in women having breast cancer screening by breast MRI and may aid in determination of risk.(Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2008;17(9):2268–74)