Award Date

5-2009

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science in Health Physics

Department

Health Physics and Diagnostic Sciences

First Committee Member

Phillip W. Patton, Chair

Second Committee Member

Steen Madsen

Third Committee Member

Ralf Sudowe

Graduate Faculty Representative

Harvey Wallmann

Number of Pages

62

Abstract

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the breast offers an alternative to screening mammography which may benefit those women at high risk for breast cancer, women under the age of 40, and those with dense breast tissue. One concern with MRI is the number of high false positives. Coupling MRI with magnetic resonance spectroscopy(MRS) may lower the number of false positives, and thus improve the diagnostic capabilities of MRI for the clinician. MRS for breast imaging focuses on the total choline containing compounds in the spectra in the suspected breast lesion to analyze areas of concern. The results of the study indicate that MRI helps differentiate potential lesions in the breast from healthy tissue, which is clearly seen in scans containing contrast. Also,MRS helped to confirm if a lesion is malignant by determining the SNR of the lesions,with an SNR of greater than or equal to 2.0 indicating malignancy.

Keywords

Breast--Cancer--Magnetic resonance imaging; Breast--Radiography; Cancer--Diagnosis; Diagnostic imaging; Magnetic resonance imaging; Spectroscopic imaging

Disciplines

Bioimaging and Biomedical Optics | Diagnosis | Investigative Techniques | Medical Physiology | Medicine and Health Sciences

File Format

pdf

Degree Grantor

University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Language

English

Comments

Signatures have been redacted for privacy and security measures.

Rights

IN COPYRIGHT. For more information about this rights statement, please visit http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

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