We wanted to correlate the kinetic and morphologic MR findings of invasive breast cancer with the classical and molecular prognostic factors.

Eighty-seven patients with invasive ductal carcinoma NOS underwent dynamic MR imaging at 1.5 T, and with using the T1-weighted 3D FLASH technique. The morphologic findings (shape, margin, internal enhancement of the mass or the enhancement distribution and the internal enhancement of any non-mass lesion) and the kinetic findings (the initial phase and the delayed phase of the time-signal Intensity curve) were interpreted using a ACR BI-RADS(R)174;-MRI lexicon. We correlate MR findings with histopathologic prognostic factors (tumor size, lymph node status and tumor grade) and the immunohistochemically detected biomarkers (ER, PR, p53, c-erbB-2, EGFR and Ki-67). Univariate and multivariate statistical analyses were then performed.

Among the MR findings, a spiculated margin, rim enhancement and washout were significantly correlated with the prognostic factors. A spiculated margin was independently associated with the established predictors of a good prognosis (a lower histologic and nuclear grade, positive ER and PR) and rim enhancement was associated with a poor prognosis (a higher histologic and nuclear grade, negative ER and PR). Wash out was a independent predictor of Ki-67 activity.

Some of the findings of high resolution dynamic MR imaging were associated with the prognostic factors, and these findings may predict the prognosis of breast cancer.