Combined Three-Dimensional Magnetic Resonance Guided Optical Spectroscopy for Functional and Molecular Imaging of Human Breast Cancer

Dynamic contrast enhanced magnetic resonance is used to image high-risk patients for breast cancer because of its higher sensitivity to tumors than mammography. We focus on Near Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS) imaging and Fluorescence Molecular Tomography (FMT), emerging imaging techniques that non-invasively quantify optical properties of total hemoglobin, oxygen saturation, water content, scattering, lipid concentration and endogenous Protoporphyrin IX (PpIX) emission. We present methods on combining the synergistic attributes of DCE-MR, NIRS, and FMT for in-vivo imaging of breast cancer in three dimensions using a custom optical MR breast coil and diffusion based light modeling software, NIRFAST. We present example results from a breast cancer patient. Preliminary results show elevated hemoglobin values and water fraction. Fluorescence values in the tumor region, however, were not always elevated above the surrounding tissue as we had expected. The additional information gained from NIRS and FMT may improve the ability to distinguish between malignant and benign lesions during MR imaging. These dual modality instruments will provide complex anatomical and molecular prognostic information, and may decrease the number of biopsies, thereby improving patient care.