Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 21, 2026
Tracking the Mammary Architectural Features and Detecting Breast Cancer with Magnetic Resonance Diffusion Tensor Imaging
Published on: December 15, 2014
Diffusion tensor imaging in the normal breast: influences of fibroglandular tissue composition and background
Michael Jonathan Plaza1, Elizabeth A Morris1, Sunitha B Thakur1
1Department of Radiology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, 300 East 66th Street, New York, NY 10065.
Objective:
To evaluate effects of fibroglandular tissue (FGT) composition and background parenchymal enhancement (BPE) on diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) parameters in normal breast tissue.
Methods:
DTI analysis was performed on 35 breasts with regions of interest drawn to include only normal tissue. Breasts were dichotomized by FGT composition and by BPE; DTI parameters were compared.
Results:
The λ1 principal diffusion coefficient was lower in breasts with moderate/marked BPE versus those with minimal/mild BPE (P=.039). All other parameters were unaffected.
Conclusion:
λ1 is sensitive to differences in BPE within normal breast tissue that should be taken into account in DTI evaluation.
Related Concept Videos
01:17Assessment of Diffusion and Perfusion
The Role of Diffusion in Respiration
Diffusion is the process by which molecules move from an area of higher concentration to an area of lower concentration. In the respiratory system, this...
01:24Magnetic Resonance Imaging