Comparison of whole-body mr imaging with diffusion-weighted images and scintigraphy in the detection of bone metastases from postoperatve breast cancer

Abstract

The aim of this study was a presentation of whole–body MRI (WB–MRI) technique with diffusion–weighted imaging (DWI) as a screening tool for bone metastases in patients with breast cancer. Seventy–one patients with breast carcinoma underwent both bone scintigraphy (BS) and WB–MRI at 1.5T. The maximal longitudinal field of view was 200 cm. The total spine was imaged in the sagittal plane with a three–station approach for two image sets (fast spin–echo T1–weighted images and short tau inversion recovery images), accompanied by coronal images were acquired with a seven–station approach for two image sets (fast field echo T1–weighted images and short tau inversion recovery images). DWI was then acquired using background body suppression with b–value 600 sec/mm². Metastatic lesions were confirmed by follow–up examination over 10 months. WB–MRI was superior to BS in predicting lesion origin with a specificity of 98.5% (scintigraphy 84.7%) and an efficiency of 98.6% (scintigraphy 85.9%). In 6 bone metastases cases, WB–MRI identified 22 lesions, while BS identified 17 lesions. WB–MRI with DWI may be an effective method of total body screening for bone in the patients with breast carcinoma.