Teksturna analiza dinamike lezij dojk z ultra-hitrim zajemom MR slik (Slovene)

Early breast cancer (BC) detection and diagnostics is crucial for successful treatment of breast cancer (BC). In Slovenia, survival rate of patients with BC detected at an early stage, before it has spread to the regional lymph nodes, is more than 90%. Survival rate of patients with advanced stage of BC is lower and the treatment more expensive. Therefore, the timely and accurate detection and diagnostics of BC in its early stages is crucial for the prognosis of the disease. The main objective of the proposed research project is the development of interoperabile, independent CAD system to support helping the radiologist in the BC diagnosis, using ultra-fast MRI protocol, NMR spectroscopy (MRS), dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI (DCE-MRI) and MRI of the apparent diffusion constant (ADC mapping) for brest lesion characterization. MRS and MRI methods enable fast acquisition of the spectra of the various breast regions as well as acquisition and analysis of the contrast agent distribution dynamics inside the lesion. Furthermore, we want to confirm the accuracy of the approach for the classification of breast lesions based on the DCE-MRI and MRI methods. We intend to analyze brests using DCE-MRI, ADC mapping and 1H-MRS in combination with conventional methods and to resolve many technical issues. In addition, we want to study the possibility of increasing sensitivity and specificity of the presented method of integration of MRI, MRS, DCEI, ADC mapping and high-resolution histological analysis, to review all characteristics that enable a reliable diagnosis of breast lesions and thus to develop a non-invasive method for the early detection, diagnosis and monitoring of treatment of breast cancer.

Results of the project contributed new knowledge about nonivasive imaging diagnostic of breast lesions. This allows lower proportion of invasive diagnostic procedures in breast lesions, contributes to less stress od women in breast diagnostics and also lowers the costs of the breast lesions diagnostic. The scientific achievements of the project is proved also by the publications of the results in international literature. We emphasize the collaboration with the Dutch center from Nijmengen.

This project resulted in new knowledge in breast lesions diagnostics that was developed in Slovenia and was published internationally. This knowledge will allow less stress full and more rational diagnostic of breast lesions. This is extremely important as find high numbers of nonpalpable breast lesions in the national mammographic screening program. Furthermore it contributed to our collaboration with a renowned center abroad. Our clinicians - researchers got knew knowledge and experience in scientific work. This project also allowed that an already established researcher could be employed in Slovenia thus contributing to our scientific environment.