Model-Free and Model-based Parameters Derived From CAIPIRINHA-Dixon-TWIST-VIBE DCE-MRI: Associations With Prognostic Factors and Molecular Subtypes of Invasive Ductal Breast Cancer

Background: CAIPIRINHA-Dixon-TWIST-VIBE (CDTV) dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI (DCE-MRI) can be used to characterize breast cancer. However, the influence of the clinicopathologic factors and molecular subtypes of invasive breast carcinoma (IDC) on the model-free and model-based parameters has not been investigated.

Purpose: To compare model-free and model-based parameters of CDTV DCE-MRI with both clinicopathologic factors and molecular subtypes of IDC.

Study type: Prospective.

Population: A total of 152 patients (mean age, 52 years) with IDC including 42 luminal A, 64 luminal B, 22 human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER2) positive, and 24 triple-negative subtypes.

Field strength/sequence: A 3 T; turbo-FLASH, Dixon VIBE, and CDTV.

Assessment: Model-free parameters (initial enhancement rate [IER] and maximum slope [MS]) were estimated from the time-intensity curve. The mean, minimum, maximum, and range between the minimum and maximum values of inline model-based parameters (K^trans , k_ep , and v_e ) were measured to assess intratumoral heterogeneity of IDC lesions.

Statistical tests: Student's t tests, Mann-Whitney U tests, Kruskal-Wallis tests, post hoc Steel-Dwass tests, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. P < 0.05 was considered significant.

Results: No significant differences in IER and MS values were seen among the clinicopathologic factors and molecular subtypes (Bonferroni-corrected P = 0.011-0.862, P = 0.145-0.601, respectively). The minimum k_ep values in HER2-positive IDC were significantly lower than those in HER2-negative IDC. The mean and range k_ep values were independent predictors for distinguishing the high (grade 3) and low (grade 1 or 2) nuclear grade groups according to multivariable analyses. The post hoc test showed that the k_ep minimum and k_ep range values were significantly different between luminal A and HER2-positive tumor subtypes, yielding an area-under-the-curve of 0.820.

Data conclusion: Compared with the model-free parameters, inline k_ep related model-based parameters on CDTV DCE-MRI can be applied as a feasible tool to differentiate luminal A from HER2-positive breast cancers.

Evidence level: 2.

Technical efficacy: Stage 2.