Development and validation of a dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging-based habitat and peritumoral radiomic model to predict axillary lymph node metastasis in patients with breast cancer: a retrospective study

The heterogeneity within breast cancer and its microenvironment are associated with metastasis. Analyzing distinct tumor subregions using habitat analysis and characterizing the tumor microenvironment through radiomics may be valuable for predicting axillary lymph node metastasis (ALNM) in breast cancer. This study aimed to develop and validate a nomogram for predicting ALNM in breast cancer patients by integrating clinicopathological, intra- or peri-tumoral radiomic, and habitat signatures based on dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) and determine the optimal peritumoral region size for accurate prediction.