Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is a common diagnostic tool for cancer patients, yielding detailed anatomical information. The nature of MR gives the opportunity for imaging of tumor function, such as metabolic and vascular properties of tissues. Patients with locally advanced disease will often receive chemotherapy before surgery. For breast cancer patients this means among other factors, increased possibility for breast conservation surgery. MRI gives the opportunity to evaluate therapy response on an earlier stage than clinical evaluation, thus treatment and patient care may be improved by individually adjust the chemotherapy for each patient. Metabolic and molecular imaging is possible with application of in vivo MR spectroscopy (MRS), where the principles of MRS are applied to the tumor while it’s in the body. The information achieved by this method will be of the same category as tissue characterization, although with considerable lower resolution. By evaluating changes or abnormalities in the metabolic pattern of tumors, it’s possible to achieve diagnostic information and evaluation of treatment response.

MRS from brain in a (A) healthy volunteer and (B) patient with brain metastases. Note the lack of the metabolite NAA (N-acetyl-aspartate) in the tumor.

Imaging of tumor properties also includes Dynamic Contrast Enhanced (DCE) MRI, visualization of the vascular network, by intravenous injection of a contrast agent during a time series of several MR images. The contrast agent leaks from the blood to the tumor tissue because of the chaotic and highly permeable vessels characteristic for cancer.

Dynamic Contrast Enhanced MR Image of breast cancer patient with lymph node metastasis. The tumor appears bright compared to normal tissue.

These methods are frequently used in our lab, and applied to breast cancer, brain metastases and prostate cancer.