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Updated: Mar 7, 2026

Tracking the Mammary Architectural Features and Detecting Breast Cancer with Magnetic Resonance Diffusion Tensor Imaging
Published on: December 15, 2014
PET/MR in invasive ductal breast cancer: correlation between imaging markers and histological phenotype
Onofrio Antonio Catalano1,2, Gary Lloyd Horn3, Alberto Signore4
1Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts General Hospital, 149 13th Street, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA.
Background:
Differences in genetics and receptor expression (phenotypes) of invasive ductal breast cancer (IDC) impact on prognosis and treatment response. Immunohistochemistry (IHC), the most used technique for IDC phenotyping, has some limitations including its invasiveness. We explored the possibility of contrast-enhanced positron emission tomography magnetic resonance (CE-FDG PET/MR) to discriminate IDC phenotypes.
Methods:
21 IDC patients with IHC assessment of oestrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), human epidermal growth factor-2 (HER2), and antigen Ki-67 (Ki67) underwent CE-FDG PET/MR. Magnetic resonance-perfusion biomarkers, apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC), and standard uptake value (SUV) were compared with IHC markers and phenotypes, using a Student's t-test and one-way ANOVA.
Results:
ER/PR- tumours demonstrated higher Kepmean and SUVmax than ER or PR+ tumours. HER2- tumours displayed higher ADCmean, Kepmean, and SUVmax than HER2+tumours. Only ADCmean discriminated Ki67⩽14% tumours (lower ADCmean) from Ki67>14% tumours. PET/MR biomarkers correlated with IHC phenotype in 13 out of 21 patients (62%; P=0.001).
Conclusions:
Positron emission tomography magnetic resonance might non-invasively help discriminate IDC phenotypes, helping to optimise individual therapy options.

