Optoacoustic Imaging Detects Hormone-Related Physiological Changes of Breast Parenchyma

Abstract

Purpose Optoacoustic imaging with ultrasound (OPUS) can assess in-vivo perfusion/oxygenation through surrogate measures of oxy, deoxy and total hemoglobin content in tissues. The primary aim of our study was to evaluate the ability of OPUS to detect physiological changes in the breast during the menstrual cycle and to determine qualitative/quantitative metrics of normal parenchymal tissue in pre-/post-menopausal women. The secondary aim was to assess the technique’s repeatability.

Materials and Methods We performed a prospective ethically approved study in volunteers using OPUS (700, 800 and 850 nm wavelengths) in the proliferative/follicular and secretory phase of the menstrual cycle. Regions of interest (ROIs) were drawn on the most superficial region of fibroglandular tissue and same-day intra-observer repeatability was assessed. We used t-tests to interrogate differences in the OPUS measurements due to hormonal changes and interclass correlation coefficients/Bland-Altman plots to evaluate the repeatability of mean ROI signal intensities.

Results 22 pre-menopausal and 8 post-menopausal volunteers were recruited. 21 participants underwent repeatability examinations. OPUS intensity values were significantly higher (p < 0.0001) at all excitation wavelengths in the secretory compared to the proliferative/follicular phase. Post-menopausal volunteers showed similar optoacoustic values to the proliferative/follicular phase of pre-menopausal volunteers. The repeatability of the technique was comparable to other handheld ultrasound modalities.

Conclusion OPUS detects changes in perfusion/vascularity related to the menstrual cycle and menopausal status of breast parenchyma.

Zusammenfassung

Ziel Optoakustische Bildgebung mittels Ultraschall (OPUS) erlaubt die in-vivo Beurteilung von Perfusion/Oxygenierung mittels Surrogatmessungen von Oxy-, Deoxy- und totalem Hämoglobingehalt im Gewebe. Das vorrangige Ziel dieser Studie war es zu evaluieren, ob physiologische Veränderungen im Brustparenchym während des Menstruationszyklus nachweisbar sind und qualitative sowie quantitative Merkmale normalen Brustparenchyms in prä- und postmenopausalen Probandinnen zu bestimmen. Als weiteres Ziel wurde die Reproduzierbarkeit dieser Technik evaluiert.

Material und Methoden Die vorliegende prospektive Studie zur Evaluierung von OPUS (700, 800 und 850 nm Wellenlänge) an freiwilligen Probandinnen während der proliferativen/follikulären und sekretorischen Zyklusphasen wurde von der lokalen Ethikkommission positive beurteilt. Regions of interest (ROIs) wurden im oberflächlichsten fibroglandulären Gewebe gezeichnet und die Intraobserver-Reproduzierbarkeit wurde am selben Untersuchungstag beurteilt. Um Unterschiede zwischen OPUS-Messungen in Abhängigkeit von Zyklusphasen zu beurteilen, wurden t-Tests verwendet. Interklassen-Korrelationskoeffizienten/Bland-Altman Plots wurden verwendet um die Reproduzierbarkeit der mittleren ROI Signalintensität zu untersuchen.

Resultate 22 prämenopausale und 8 postmenopausale Probandinnen wurden rekrutiert. 21 Probandinnen unterzogen sich Reproduzierbarkeitstests. Unabhängig von der Exzitationswellenlänge waren OPUS Intensitätswerte während der sekretorischen Phase signifikant höher (p < 0,0001) als während der proliferativen/follikulären Phase. Die Messwerte in postmenopausalen Probandinnen glichen denen prämenopausaler Probandinnen während der proliferativen/follikulären Phase. Die Reproduzierbarkeit dieser Technik glich der anderer Ultraschallhandgeräte.

Zusammenfassung OPUS detektiert Veränderungen der Perfusion/Vaskularisation des Brustparenchyms in Abhängigkeit von Menstruationszyklus und Menopausenstatus.

Key words

breast - hormones - physiology - optoacoustic - molecular imaging

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