Cancer cells are known to produce their own fatty acids (FA’s) and co-opt local fat reserves for energy/cell division needs. In this study, single-voxel MRS data were used to assess the spatial/spectral lipid profiles of normal volunteers and subjects with suspicious lesions. Statistically different lipid profiles were found in tumors than in the contralateral breast of cancer patients; the latter were similar to lipid profiles of normal volunteers. Fibrocystic epithelial/breast cancer cell NMR experiments confirmed differential FA composition/uptake for the two cell types. MRI/MRS-based profiling of lipid metabolism may provide a unique tool for better breast cancer tumor detection/characterization.
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