Objectives: We sought to evaluate spectroscopic measurements in breast cancer and compare variability in choline peak parameters related to contrast administration versus that inherent to repeated measurements.
Materials and methods: Single-voxel, proton spectroscopy measurements were obtained before and after the administration of gadolinium on 15 patients with > or = 1-cm breast cancers. The protocol was repeated on a separate day in 7 patients.
Results: Postcontrast spectra demonstrated a significant increase in choline peak linewidth (day 1: 15% +/- 21%, P = 0.03; day 2: 19% +/- 12%, P = 0.001) and decrease in choline peak area (day 1: 11% +/- 9% (P < 0.001); day 2: 18% +/- 21% (P = 0.03). A variance-components analysis indicated that day-to-day variation in linewidth accounted for 0.0% of the total variation in width measurements and was not significant (P = 0.85). Day-to-day variation in area was also not significant (0.0%, P = 0.95).
Conclusions: Contrast administration caused significant increases in choline peak linewidth and decreases in choline peak area in spectroscopic measurements of breast cancer.