Method and apparatus using magnetic resonance imaging for cancer identification

Abstract

Embodiments provide a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) technique and optionally software—collectively referred to as the “shutter-speed” model—to analyze image data of cancer patients. Embodiments provide a minimally invasive, yet precisely accurate, approach to determining whether tumors are malignant or benign by distinguishing the characteristics of contrast reagent activity in benign and malignant tumors. Exemplary embodiments provide MRI measured biomarkers for tumor malignancy determination, effectively eliminating or limiting the false positives suffered by existing MRI techniques.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method, comprising:
 obtaining a K trans  value of a tissue with an MRI device using a shutter-speed model (SSM);   obtaining a K trans  value of the tissue with the MRI device using a standard model (SM);   determining a difference between the SSM K trans  value and the SM K trans  value; and   classifying the tissue based on a determined difference between SSM K trans  value and the SM K trans  value.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the tissue is classified as either a benign tumor or a malignant tumor. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein obtaining a K trans  value using SSM differs from obtaining a K trans  value using SM in that obtaining a K trans  value using SSM includes a factor reflecting equilibrium water exchange effects. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein classifying the tissue based on a determined difference between SSM K trans  value and the SM K trans  value comprises determining whether the difference is above or below a defined threshold. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein a difference above the threshold indicates the tissue is malignant, and wherein a difference below the threshold indicates the tissue is benign. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein determining whether the difference is above or below a defined threshold comprises determining whether the difference is above or below a threshold at or between 0.020 min −1  and 0.030 min −1 . 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein determining whether the difference is above or below a defined threshold comprises determining whether the difference is above or below 0.025 min −1 . 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the K trans  values of the tissue are obtained utilizing dynamic contrast enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI). 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising
 obtaining a k ep  value for the tissue using DCE-MRI;   establishing a two dimensional plot of K trans  and k ep  for the tissue;   establishing a circle on the plot centered at an origin point of the plot, wherein a radius of the circle defines a threshold; and   classifying the tissue based on whether the tissue plot point is greater than or less than the threshold.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein a tissue plot point greater than the threshold indicates the tissue is malignant. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein a tissue plot point less than the threshold indicates the tissue is benign. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein obtaining a K trans  value of a tissue using SSM further comprises incorporating an interstitial CR transverse relaxivity factor to address transverse relaxation neglect present in SM. 
     
     
         13 . A method for breast cancer screening, comprising:
 obtaining a mammogram of breast tissue to determine whether the tissue has or is suspected of having an occult lesion;   obtaining a dynamic contrast enhanced magnetic resonance image (DCE-MR image) of the breast tissue determined to have or be suspected of having an occult lesion;   circumscribing a region of interest from the DCE-MR image identifying breast tissue being or suspected of being an occult lesion, wherein the region of interest is classified by
 obtaining a K trans  value of a tissue with an MRI device using a shutter-speed model (SSM); 
 obtaining a K trans  value of the tissue with an MRI device using a standard model (SM); 
 determining a difference between the SSM K trans  value and the SM K trans  value; and 
 classifying the tissue based on a determined difference between SSM K trans  value and the SM K trans  value. 
   
     
     
         14 . A magnetic resonance imaging device, comprising:
 an image capture component; and   a processor configured to
 obtain a K trans  value of a tissue with the MRI device using a shutter-speed model (SSM); 
 obtain a K trans  value of the tissue with the MRI device using a standard model (SM); 
 determine a difference between the SSM K trans  value and the SM K trans  value; and 
 classify the tissue based on a determined difference between SSM K trans  value and the SM K trans  value.