7T Versus 3T Contrast-Enhanced Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Invasive Breast Cancer

Bertine Luus Stehouwer¹, Dennis W. J. Klomp¹, Mies A. Kortweg¹, Peter R. Luijten¹, Willem P. Th. M. Mali¹, Maurice A. AJ. van Den Bosch¹, Wouter B. Veldhuis¹

This abstract describes contrast-enhanced MR-imaging (DCE-MRI) of the breast at 7T, with 3T comparison and with 7T phantom B1-measuremnts, in a patient with ductulolobular carcinoma. 7T-DCE-MRI was done with a 3DT1-TFE sequence with selective water excitation (WATS), after injection of 0.1mmol/kg gadobutrol. 3T was performed according to standard protocol. The examinations were well tolerated. WATS resulted in good lesion-to-fat-and-fibroglandular-tissue contrast. Kinetic curves at both field strengths showed similar rapid initial-enhancement, followed by wash-out in the delayed phase for the most malignant curve. In conclusion, clinical 7T-DCE-MRI is technically feasible and may show enhancement kinetics amenable to standard BIRADS-interpretation.