Improved discrimination of molecular subtypes in invasive breast cancer: Comparison of multiple quantitative parameters from breast MRI

To compare multiple quantitative parameters from breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with the synthetic MRI sequence included for discrimination of molecular subtypes of invasive breast cancer. Between March 2019 and September 2020, two hundred breast cancer patients underwent preoperative breast multiparametric MRI examinations including synthetic MRI, diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) and dynamic contrast enhancement (DCE)-MRI sequences. MRI morphological features, T1 and T2 relaxation times (T1, T2) and proton density (PD) values from synthetic MRI, Ktrans, Kep, and Ve from DCE-MRI, mean apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) from DWI and tumor volume were measured. Quantitative parameters were compared according to molecular markers and subtypes. Logistic regression were performed to find the related MRI parameters and establish combined parameters. The comparison between single and combined quantitative parameters by using DeLong tests. T1, T2 values were significantly higher in hormone receptor (HR)- negative and Ki67 > 14% tumors (p < 0.05). Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-positive tumors demonstrated significantly higher Ktrans and Kep (p < 0.01). Mean ADC values were significantly decreased in HR-positive and Ki67 > 14% tumors (p < 0.01). Tumor volumes were significantly higher in HER2-positive and Ki67 > 14% tumors (p < 0.05). Independent influencing factors were lower T2 values (p < 0.001), smaller tumor volume (p = 0.031) and higher mean ADC (p = 0.002) associated with luminal A subtype, while T1 values (p = 0.007) was the only quantitative parameter associated with triple-negative subtype. The diagnostic efficiency of combined parameters (T2 + mean ADC + volume) (AUC = 0.765) was significantly higher than that of mean ADC (AUC = 0.666, p = 0.031 by DeLong test) and volume (AUC = 0.650, p = 0.008 by DeLong test) for separating luminal A subtype. MRI quantitative parameters could help distinguish molecular markers and subtypes. The emerging synthetic MRI parameters - T1 values were associated with the TN subtype, and combined parameters with added T2 values might improve the discrimination of the luminal A subtype. Application of synthetic MRI can enrich quantitative descriptors from breast MRI.