Optimizing and Understanding BOLD Contrast Imaging in the Breast

Rebecca Rakow-Penner¹, Bruce Daniel¹, Gary Glover¹

Blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) contrast imaging has the potential to evaluate tumor metabolism and angiogenesis. Our group is developing a robust method for detecting BOLD contrast in healthy breast tissue in preparation for scanning breast cancer patients. Previous results indicated the complexity of BOLD contrast imaging in the breast, motivating further evaluation of the stimulus and optimization of the overall approach. We found that BOLD contrast imaging in the breast is more readily detected using carbogen interleaved with oxygen or room air as a stimulus and that carbogen and oxygen provide opposing contrast in the breast.