MRI texture analysis of background parenchymal enhancement of the breast

Purpose. The purpose of this study was to determine texture parameters reflecting the background parenchymal enhancement (BPE) of the breast, which were acquired using texture analysis (TA). Methods. We investigated 52 breasts of the 26 subjects who underwent dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI. One experienced reader scored BPE visually (i.e., minimal, mild, moderate, and marked). TA, including 12 texture parameters, was performed to distinguish the BPE scores quantitatively. Relationships between the visual BPE scores and texture parameters were evaluated using analysis of variance and receiver operating characteristic analysis. Results. The variance and skewness of signal intensity were useful for differentiating between moderate and mild or minimal BPE or between mild and minimal BPE, respectively, with the cutoff value of 356.7 for variance and that of 0.21 for skewness. Some TA features could be useful for defining breast lesions from the BPE. Conclusion. TA may be useful for quantifying the BPE of the breast.