Relationship between kinetic parameters of ultrafast dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE) MRI and tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) in breast cancer

Q: What is the study purpose regarding TILs and ultrafast DCE MRI?

To evaluate the relationship between kinetic parameters from ultrafast dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE) MRI and tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) in breast cancer.

Q: How were patients grouped in this retrospective study?

The study classified 76 women with surgically proven breast cancers into a low-TILs group (<10%) and a high-TILs group (≥10%) based on TILs level.

Q: Which ultrafast DCE kinetic parameters were analyzed, and what were the main findings?

Maximum slope (MS) and time to enhancement (TTE) from ultrafast DCE were correlated with TILs level. High-TILs cancers showed significantly higher MS and significantly shorter TTE, with ROC AUC values around 0.661 and 0.685.

Sep 21, 2026

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Purpose evaluates how ultrafast dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE) MRI kinetic parameters relate to tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) in breast cancer. Methods: a retrospective institutional review board–approved study included 76 women with surgically proven breast cancers who underwent DCE MRI with an ultrafast sequence; patients were grouped as low-TILs (<10%) or high-TILs (≥10%). Maximum slope (MS) and time to enhancement (TTE) from ultrafast DCE were analyzed, and six conventional DCE kinetic pattern percentages were correlated with TILs level. Results show higher MS and shorter TTE in high-TILs, with modest ROC discrimination; conventional kinetic pattern percentages did not differ significantly. Conclusion links high TILs with faster enhancement and greater early-phase kinetic activity.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages8

Reading Time20 min

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Abstract

Purpose

Patients and methods

Results

Conclusion

Introduction

TILs as a prognostic and predictive biomarker

Imaging evaluation of TILs and prior DCE/DWI/radiomics studies

Rationale for using ultrafast DCE kinetics

Japanese Journal of Radiology (2025) 43:43–50 [https://doi.org/10.1007/s1](https://doi.org/10.1007/s1) 1604-024-01645-w Relationship between kinetic parameters of ultrafast dynamic contrast‑enhanced (DCE) MRI and tumor‑infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) in breast cancer Ken Yamaguchi1 · Takahiko Nakazono1 · Ryoko Egashira1 · Shuichi Fukui1 · Tsutomu Imaizumi1 · Katsuya Maruyama2 · Dominik Nickel3 · Takahiro Hamamoto4 · Rin Yamaguchi5 · Hiroyuki Irie1 Received: 9 April 2024 / Accepted: 15 August 2024 / Published online: 26 August 2024 © The Author(s) 2024 Abstract Purpose To evaluate the relationship between kinetic parameters of ultrafast dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) in breast cancer. Patients and methods This retrospective study was approved by an institutional review board and included 76 women (median age: 60) with 76 surgically proven breast cancers who underwent DCE MRI including ultrafast sequence. Based on the TILs level, we classified the patients into the low-TILs (< 10%) group and the high-TILs (≥ 10%) group. Maximum slope (MS) and time to enhancement (TTE) derived from ultrafast DCE sequence were correlated in each TILs group. The percentages of six kinetic patterns (fast, medium, and slow from the early phase, washout, plateau, and persistent from the delayed phase) derived from the conventional DCE sequence were also correlated in each TILs group. Results Of the 76 breast cancers, 57 were in the low-TILs group and 19 comprised the high-TILs group. The median MS in the high-TILs group (32.4%/sec) was significantly higher than that in the low-TILs group (23.68%/s) (p = 0.037) . In a receiveroperating characteristic (ROC) analysis, the area under the curve (AUC) for differentiating between the high-and low-TILs group was 0.661. The TTE in the high-TILs group was significantly shorter than that in the low-TILs group (p = 0.012) . In the ROC analysis, the AUC was 0.685. There were no significant differences between the percentages of the six kinetic patterns from the conventional DCE sequence and the TILs level (p = 0.075–0.876) . Conclusion Compared to the low-TILs group, the high-TILs group had higher MS and shorter TTE. Keywords Breast cancer · Magnetic resonance imaging · Ultrafast · TILs · Prognosis * Ken Yamaguchi [yamaguk@cc.saga-u.ac.jp](yamaguk@cc.saga-u.ac.jp) Takahiko Nakazono [nakazot@cc.saga-u.ac.jp](nakazot@cc.saga-u.ac.jp) Ryoko Egashira [egashira@cc.saga-u.ac.jp](egashira@cc.saga-u.ac.jp) Shuichi Fukui [saga.fukui44@gmail.com](saga.fukui44@gmail.com) Tsutomu Imaizumi [imaizumt@cc.saga-u.ac.jp](imaizumt@cc.saga-u.ac.jp) Katsuya Maruyama [katsuya.maruyama@siemens-healthineers.com](katsuya.maruyama@siemens-healthineers.com)[ ](katsuya.maruyama@siemens-healthineers.com)Dominik Nickel [marcel.nickel@siemens-healthineers.com](marcel.nickel@siemens-healthineers.com) Takahiro Hamamoto [hamamoto@ajisaiclinic.com](hamamoto@ajisaiclinic.com) Rin Yamaguchi [rin@med.kurume-u.ac.jp](rin@med.kurume-u.ac.jp) Hiroyuki Irie [irie@cc.saga-u.ac.jp](irie@cc.saga-u.ac.jp) 1 Department of Radiology, Faculty of Medicine, Saga University, 5-1-1 Nabeshima, Saga 849-8501, Japan 2 MR Research & Collaboration Department, Siemens Healthcare K.K., Gate City Osaki West Tower, 1-11-1 Osaki, Shinagawa-Ku, Tokyo 141-8644, Japan 3 MR Application Development, Siemens Healthcare GmbH, Allee Am Roethelheimpark 2, 91052 Erlangen, Germany 4 Ajisai Clinic, 1-9-38 Ekimaechuo, Saga 840-0801, Japan 5 Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Kurume University Medical Center, 155-1 Kokubu, Kurume 859-0863, Japan Introduction Breast cancer is the most frequent cancer in women worldwide [1] . Some breast cancers are rich in lymphocytes and plasma cells, and these cancers are known to have a good prognosis [2] . Tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) area new biomarker for the prognosis and the chemothera

FAQs

What is the study purpose regarding TILs and ultrafast DCE MRI?

To evaluate the relationship between kinetic parameters from ultrafast dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE) MRI and tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) in breast cancer.

How were patients grouped in this retrospective study?

The study classified 76 women with surgically proven breast cancers into a low-TILs group (<10%) and a high-TILs group (≥10%) based on TILs level.

Which ultrafast DCE kinetic parameters were analyzed, and what were the main findings?

Maximum slope (MS) and time to enhancement (TTE) from ultrafast DCE were correlated with TILs level. High-TILs cancers showed significantly higher MS and significantly shorter TTE, with ROC AUC values around 0.661 and 0.685.

Sep 21, 2026

Upload by Aurelia