Can Breast MRI Findings Predict Molecular Subtypes of Breast Cancer?

Abstract

Objective:To investigate the association between the morphologic and kinetic results obtained with the dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values obtained using diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) in breast cancer with the histopathologic subtypes of tumors. Material and Methods: The MRI results of 271 breast lesions of 258 patients were retrospectively evaluated. Lesion morphology and contrast-enhancement characteristics were evaluated using conventional MRI, and ADC measurements were performed with DWI. Results: An association was detected between regular margins in the masses, the presence of intratumoral necrosis, and annular contrast enhancement with triple-negative type (TN), spiculated margin luminal A type. Higher histological grade was mostly detected in TN (45.7%), and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 positive (HER2+) tumors (47.1%) (p<0.001). The mean ADC value was measured as 1001x10 -6 mm 2 /second. No significant difference was detected in molecular subtypes considering the ADC values (p=0.396). No correlation was detected between the Ki-67 proliferation index and the mean ADC values (p=0.207). Conclusion: Although the morphological results of dynamic contrast-enhanced breast MRI indicated particular molecular subtypes, it may be suggested that the ADC values obtained using DWI were not decisive in identifying molecular subtypes.