Proton MR spectroscopy of normal breasts: Association of risk factors for breast cancer with water and lipid composition of the breast

Abstract

Purpose: To investigate the water and lipid composition of normal women breasts on proton MR spectroscopy ((1)H-MRS), and the association of breast cancer risk factors with (1)H-MRS parameters.

Materials and methods: Three groups of participants were included: group 1, women without a family history of breast cancer (n=49); group 2, women with at least one affected first-degree relative (n=77); group 3, contralateral normal breasts of women with newly diagnosed unilateral breast cancer (n=84). (1)H-MRS parameters were shown below: water fraction 1 (WF1)=(water integral)/(water integral+integral for methylene peak); lipid line width for methylene resonance (LW1) and lipid line width for methyl peaks (LW2) were measured. The association of breast cancer risk factors - age, breast density, body mass index (BMI), menopausal status, group with (1)H-MRS parameters - was analyzed by multiple linear regression.

Results: In age-adjusted multiple linear regression, breast density was positively associated with WF1 (P=0.009, 0.001, and <0.001 for groups 1, 2, and 3, respectively). BMI was inversely associated with LW1 in groups 1 (P=0.040) and 3 (P=0.005). In group 3, premenopausal breasts had lower LW2 than their postmenopausal counterparts (P=0.033). Group 3 had narrower LW2 than group 2 (P=0.007).

Conclusions: The risk factors for breast cancer were associated with (1)H-MRS parameters.

Keywords: Lipid line width; Normal breasts; Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy; Water fraction.