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©2014 Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Methodol. Jun 26, 2014; 4(2): 46-58
Published online Jun 26, 2014. doi: 10.5662/wjm.v4.i2.46
Published online Jun 26, 2014. doi: 10.5662/wjm.v4.i2.46
Review of treatment assessment using DCE-MRI in breast cancer radiation therapy
Chun-Hao Wang, Fang-Fang Yin, Janet Horton, Zheng Chang, Department of Radiation Oncology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710, United States
Author contributions: Wang CH and Chang Z wrote the paper; Yin FF and Horton J revised it critically; Yin F-F and Chang Z approved the version to be published.
Correspondence to: Zheng Chang, PhD, Associate Professor, Department of Radiation Oncology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710, United States. zheng.chang@duke.edu
Telephone: +1-919-6812608 Fax: +1-919-6817183
Received: November 22, 2013
Revised: December 31, 2013
Accepted: February 16, 2014
Published online: June 26, 2014
Revised: December 31, 2013
Accepted: February 16, 2014
Published online: June 26, 2014
Core Tip
Core tip: Dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) has shown great potentials not only in diagnosis, but also in therapy. DCE-MRI is a promising technique for assessing breast cancer radiation treatment due to its inherent sensitivity to the microvascular environment changes. Correlative studies have demonstrated proof concepts of DCE-MRI parameters as potential biomarkers. This article reviews the basic principles of breast DCE-MRI and recent studies using DCE-MRI in breast treatment assessment. Future clinical trials and research works are needed to develop standardized DCE-MRI assessment methods, towards the goal of individualized radiation therapy.