Affiliations: [a] Department of Radiology, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University, The Fourth People’s Hospital of Wuxi City, Wuxi, Jiangsu, China
| [b] Department of Pathology, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University, The Fourth People’s Hospital of Wuxi City, Wuxi, Jiangsu, China
| [c] Department of Breast Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University, The Fourth People’s Hospital of Wuxi City, Wuxi, Jiangsu, China
| [d] Department of Radiology, Wuxi Huishan Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital, Wuxi, Jiangsu, China
Correspondence:
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Corresponding authors: Zong-Qiong Sun,Shu-Dong Hu and Gen Yan, Department of Radiology, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, 214062, China. Tel.: +86 15312238218; E-mail: 1565917335@qq.com.
Note: [1] Zong-Qiong Sun and Qing Lv contributed equally to this work.
Abstract: PURPOSE:To investigate associations between the clinicopathologic features and CT perfusion parameters of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) and non-TNBC using low-dose computed tomography perfusion imaging (LDCTPI), and to find potential clinical applications in the prognosis assessment of TNBC. MATERIALS AND METHODS:A total of 60 patients with breast cancer confirmed by pathological examination were studied prospectively using LDCTPI on a 64-slice spiral CT scanner. The acquired volume data were used for calculations, mapping, and analysis by using a tumor perfusion protocol in the CT perfusion software package to measure 2 parameters namely, blood flow (BF), and permeability surface (PS) area product. Patients were grouped into TNBC (n = 27) and non-TNBC (n = 33) subtypes. Associations between these two subtypes and clinicopathologic characteristics were evaluated by both univariate and multivariate logistic regression. CT perfusion parameters values were compared for clinicopathologic characteristics using independent 2-sample t test. RESULTS:TNBC displayed higher CT perfusion parameters values (BF: 57.56±10.94 vs 52.70±7.79 mL/100 g/min, p = 0.006; PS: 38.98±9.46 vs 33.39±8.07 mL/100 g/min, p = 0.001) than non-TNBC. In addition, breast cancer with poorly histologic grade or positive Ki-67 expression showed higher BF and PS values than those with well and moderately histologic grade or negative Ki-67 expression (p < 0.05). TNBC had poorer histologic grade (P = 0.032) and higher Ki-67 expression (P = 0.013) than non-TNBC. CONCLUSION:LDCTPI is a functional imaging technology from the perspective of hemodynamics with potential of clinical applications. The BF and PS values were higher in TNBC patient group than non-TNBC group. TNBC patients also have poorer clinicopathologic outcome.
