T1-based sensing of mammographic density using single-sided portable NMR

PurposeA single-sided NMR instrument was used to investigate the ability of the T-1 relaxation constant to distinguish between regions of low and high mammographic density in human breast tissue. MethodsMeasurements were performed on 5 breast slices obtained from 3 women undergoing breast reduction surgery or prophylactic mastectomy. ResultsT(1) values measured in regions of high mammographic density in both the full breast slices (T-1=17030 ms) and excised regions (T-1=160 +/- 30 ms) were found to be significantly different (P<.001) from those measured in regions of low mammographic density, in which T-1=120 +/- 10 ms was observed both in full slices and excised regions. There was no statistically significant difference between the T-1 values measured in the full breast slices and those measured in the excised regions. ConclusionThe findings suggest that portable NMR may provide a low-cost means of assessing mammographic density in vivo.