Concurrent MRI and diffuse optical tomography of breast after indocyanine green enhancement

Abstract

We present quantitative optical images of human breast in vivo. The images were obtained by using near-infrared diffuse optical tomography (DOT) after the administration of indocyanine green (ICG) for contrast enhancement. The optical examination was performed concurrently with a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) exam on patients scheduled for excisional biopsy or surgery so that accurate image coregistration and histopathological information of the suspicious lesions was available. The ICG-enhanced optical images coregistered accurately with Gadolinium-enhanced magnetic resonance images validating the ability of DOT to image breast tissue. In contrast to simple transillumination, we found that DOT provides for localization and quantification of exogenous tissue chromophore concentrations. Additionally our use of ICG, an albumin bound absorbing dye in plasma, demonstrates the potential to differentiate disease based on the quantified enhancement of suspicious lesions.

Figure 1

MRI-DOT examination protocol.

Figure 2

Absorption increase of human breast attributable to ICG injection as a function of time and the correction applied.

Figure 3

Case I: Ductal carcinoma. (a) Functional sagittal MR image after Gd contrast enhancement passing through the center of the cancerous lesion. (b) Coronal DOT image, perpendicular to the plane of the MRI image in a, for the VOI indicated on a with the interrupted line box. (c) Functional MR coronal reslicing of the VOI with the same dimensions as b.

Figure 4

Case II: Fibroadenoma. (a) Functional sagittal MR image after Gd contrast enhancement passing through the fibroadenoma. (b) Coronal DOT image, perpendicular to the plane of the MRI image in a, for the VOI indicated on a with the interrupted line box. (c) Functional MR coronal reslicing of the VOI with the same dimensions as b.

Figure 5

Case III: No disease. (a) Functional sagittal MR image after Gd contrast enhancement passing through the middle plane of the breast. (b) Coronal DOT image, perpendicular to the plane of the MRI image in a, for the VOI indicated on a with the interrupted line box. (c) Functional MR coronal reslicing of the VOI with the same dimensions as b.