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T 1 ‐based sensing of mammographic density using single‐sided portable NMR
Author(s) -
Tourell Monique C.,
Ali Tonima S.,
Hugo Honor J,
Pyke Chris,
Yang Samuel,
Lloyd Thomas,
Thompson Erik W.,
Momot Konstantin I.
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
magnetic resonance in medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.696
H-Index - 225
eISSN - 1522-2594
pISSN - 0740-3194
DOI - 10.1002/mrm.27098
Subject(s) - breast density , t2 relaxation , mammography , nuclear medicine , breast mri , relaxation (psychology) , breast tissue , mammographic density , nuclear magnetic resonance , human breast , medicine , materials science , breast cancer , radiology , magnetic resonance imaging , physics , cancer
Purpose A single‐sided NMR instrument was used to investigate the ability of the T 1 relaxation constant to distinguish between regions of low and high mammographic density in human breast tissue. Methods Measurements were performed on 5 breast slices obtained from 3 women undergoing breast reduction surgery or prophylactic mastectomy. Results T 1 values measured in regions of high mammographic density in both the full breast slices (T 1 = 170 ± 30 ms) and excised regions (T 1 = 160 ± 30 ms) were found to be significantly different ( P < .001) from those measured in regions of low mammographic density, in which T 1 = 120 ± 10 ms was observed both in full slices and excised regions. There was no statistically significant difference between the T 1 values measured in the full breast slices and those measured in the excised regions. Conclusion The findings suggest that portable NMR may provide a low‐cost means of assessing mammographic density in vivo.