Microcalcification Detection and Classification in Breast Cancer
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Can malignant and benign breast cancer be differentiated by radiological microcalcification classification using novel MRI method of ultrashort time echo (UTE)?
IRAS ID
319987
Contact name
Sai Man Cheung
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Aberdeen
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 11 months, 29 days
Research summary
Mammography, the most widely used imaging method for breast cancer screening, is sensitive to the detection of calcium deposits. Breast cancer with calcium deposits has increased resistance to treatments, with a higher risk of recurrence and distant spread. Calcium deposits can be classified as malignant or benign (non-cancer), each with a distinct chemical structure and visual appearance under the microscope.
Mammography, although showing an association with results from pathology, is a 2D method not sensitive to 3D chemical structure. Conventional MRI, although providing excellent soft tissue contrast, is insensitive to calcium deposits. A novel method of ultrashort time echo (UTE) imaging in MRI increases the sensitivity to the detection of calcium deposits and has recently become available for clinical research.
We aim to investigate if UTE can show a difference between malignant and benign calcium deposits, and the link between dead tissue and the speed of tumour growth. Each patient will undergo a single UTE imaging scan on a clinical research 3T MRI scanner (Achieva dStream Conversion, Philips Healthcare, Best, Netherlands) at Aberdeen Biomedical Imaging Centre. The results from UTE imaging will be checked against the results from pathology, to assess the ability of UTE imaging for accurate early detection of malignant calcium deposits even before surgery.
REC name
HSC REC B
REC reference
23/NI/0045
Date of REC Opinion
5 Apr 2023
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion