Evaluation of breast cancer chemotherapy efficacy with multifractal spectrum analysis of magnetic resonance image

Issue title: Frontiers in Biomedical Engineering and Biotechnology – Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on Biomedical Engineering and Biotechnology, 11–13 October 2013, Wuhan, China

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Li, Li^; | Hu, Wen-yong | Liu, Li-zhi | Pang, Ya-chun | Shao, Yuan-zhi^;

Affiliations: School of Physics and Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China | State Key Laboratory of Oncology in Southern China, Imaging Diagnostic and Interventional Center, Cancer Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510060, China

Note: [] Corresponding author. Email: [email protected], Tel: +86-20-84110399, Fax: +86-20-87343295

Abstract: Multifractal spectrum analysis of dynamic contrast enhanced (DCE) breast MR images was used to establish a new quantitative analysis method for solid tumor blood perfusion and to explore its applicability in evaluating efficacy of breast cancer chemotherapy. Five randomly selected patients suffering from newly diagnosed malignant breast nodule lesions were enrolled in this study, and four of them were treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Their DCE breast MR images were collected before and after treatment. Chemotherapeutic efficacy was analyzed using international response evaluation criteria for solid tumors (RECIST). Sandbox method for statistical number density was employed to measure and calculate multifractal spectra of DCE breast MR images with spatiotemporal characteristics. Multifractal spectral data of malignant lesions before and after chemotherapy were compared. Multifractal spectra of malignant lesions show an asymmetric bell-shape. Chemotherapy efficacy was assessed to be partial remission (PR) for three patients and their multifractal spectral width significantly increased after chemotherapy while to be stable disease (SD) for other patient and of her changed slightly. Multifractal spectral width correlates with blood-supply condition of tumor lesion before and after chemotherapy, providing a potential suitable characteristic parameter for evaluating chemotherapeutic efficacy quantitatively.

Keywords: Breast cancer, magnetic resonance imaging, multifractal spectrum, image processing

DOI: 10.3233/BME-130796

Journal: Bio-Medical Materials and Engineering, vol. 24, no. 1, pp. 163-171, 2014