Dynamic contrast enhanced-MRI and diffusion-weighted image as predictors of lymphovascular invasion in node-negative invasive breast cancer

BACKGROUND: Lymphovascular invasion (LVI) is an important risk factor for prognosis of breast cancer and an unfavorable prognostic factor in node-negative invasive breast cancer patients. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the association between LVI and pre-operative features of dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) and diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) in node-negative invasive breast cancer. METHODS: Data were collected retrospectively from 132 cases who had undergone pre-operative MRI and had invasive breast carcinoma confirmed on the last surgical pathology report. MRI and DWI data were analyzed for the size of tumor, mass shape, margin, internal enhancement pattern, kinetic enhancement curve, high intratumoral T2-weighted signal intensity, peritumoral edema, DWI rim sign, and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values. We calculated the relationship between presence of LVI and various prognostic factors and MRI features. RESULTS: Pathologic tumor size, mass margin, internal enhancement pattern, kinetic enhancement curve, DWI rim sign, and the difference between maximum and minimum ADC were significantly correlated with LVI (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: We suggest that DCE-MRI with DWI would assist in predicting LVI status in node-negative invasive breast cancer patients.