The added value of whole-body magnetic resonance imaging in the management of patients with advanced breast cancer

PLoS One. 2018 Oct 12;13(10):e0205251. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0205251. eCollection 2018.

Abstract

This study investigates the impact of whole-body MRI (WB-MRI) in addition to CT of chest-abdomen-pelvis (CT-CAP) and 18F-FDG PET/CT (PET/CT) on systemic treatment decisions in standard clinical practice for patients with advanced breast cancer (ABC). WB-MRI examinations in ABC patients were extracted from our WB-MRI registry (2009-2017). Patients under systemic treatment who underwent WB-MRI and a control examination (CT-CAP or PET/CT) were included. Data regarding progressive disease (PD) reported either on WB-MRI or on the control examinations were collected. Data regarding eventual change in treatment after the imaging evaluation were collected. It was finally evaluated whether the detection of PD by any of the two modalities had induced a change in treatment. Among 910 WB-MRI examinations in ABC patients, 58 had a paired control examination (16 CT-CAP and 42 PET/CT) and were analysed. In 23/58 paired examinations, additional sites of disease were reported only on WB-MRI and not on the control examination. In 17/28 paired examinations, PD was reported only on WB-MRI and not on the control examination. In 14 out of the 28 pairs of examinations that were followed by a change in treatment, PD had been reported only on WBMRI (14/28; 50%), while stable disease had been reported on the control examination. In conclusion, WB-MRI disclosed PD earlier than the control examination (CT-CAP or PET/CT), and it was responsible alone for 50% of all changes in treatment.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / therapeutic use*
  • Bone Neoplasms / diagnostic imaging*
  • Bone Neoplasms / prevention & control
  • Bone Neoplasms / secondary
  • Breast / diagnostic imaging
  • Breast / pathology
  • Breast Neoplasms / diagnostic imaging*
  • Breast Neoplasms / drug therapy
  • Breast Neoplasms / pathology
  • Disease Progression
  • Feasibility Studies
  • Female
  • Fluorodeoxyglucose F18 / administration & dosage
  • Humans
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging / methods*
  • Middle Aged
  • Patient Selection
  • Positron Emission Tomography Computed Tomography / methods
  • Radiopharmaceuticals / administration & dosage
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Sensitivity and Specificity
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Whole Body Imaging / methods*

Substances

  • Radiopharmaceuticals
  • Fluorodeoxyglucose F18

Grants and funding

The authors received no specific funding for this work.