Measuring the biochemical changes in breast tumors with magnetic resonance (MR) spectroscopy enables radiologists to more accurately distinguish benign tumors from cancerous ones, according to a study appearing in the August issue of the journal Radiology.
"Adding spectroscopy to breast MR examinations will not only reduce concern over possible missed cancers and unnecessary biopsy procedures, it may also improve the efficiency and quality of patient care," said co-author Sina Meisamy, M.D., a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Minnesota Center for Magnetic Resonance Research in Minneapolis.
MR imaging of the breasts has a high rate of sensitivity (94 percent - 100 percent) for detecting tumors, but a variable rate of specificity (37 percent - 97 percent) for distinguishing malignant from benign tumors.
MR spectroscopy uses the same magnet and electronics as MR imaging, but with specialized methods that produce a "spectrum" identifying different chemical compounds in the tissues. MR spectroscopy has been shown to be useful for looking at various disorders, including cancer, Alzheimer's disease, diabetes and certain inflammatory and ischemic diseases. Generally used for the brain, spectroscopy poses no known health risk to patients and typically adds only seven to 10 minutes to the MR procedure.