BOLD Changes in the Microenvironment Are an Early Marker of Micrometastatic Breast Cancer in the Rat Brain.

Matthew D. Budde¹, E Kay Jordan¹, Melissa Smith¹, Eric M. Gold¹, Joseph A. Frank¹

Blood oxygen level dependant (BOLD) MRI is related to tumor oxygenation and perfusion. However, it is unknown whether it can be used for early diagnosis in addition to its prognostic potential. The purpose of this study was to determine the sensitivity of BOLD in detecting developing tumors in a rat model of breast cancer metastasis to the brain. BOLD decreases were often evident prior to the detection of metastases on T2-weighted images. Despite the difficulties in specifically attributing BOLD changes to oxygenation or perfusion, BOLD MRI may aid the detection of developing micrometastatic lesions.