Menstrual variation of breast volume and T2 relaxation times in cyclical mastalgia

Hussain, Zainab; Brooks, Jonathan; Percy, Dave

doi:10.1016/j.radi.2006.07.003

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Volume 14, Issue 1 , Pages 8-16, February 2008

Menstrual variation of breast volume and T₂ relaxation times in cyclical mastalgia

Zainab Hussain
- Department of Medical Imaging, University of Liverpool, Johnstone Building, Brownlow Hill, P.O. Box 147, Liverpool, Merseyside L69 3GB, UK
- Magnetic Resonance and Image Analysis Research Centre, University of Liverpool, Johnstone Building, Brownlow Hill, P.O. Box 147, Liverpool, Merseyside L69 3GB, UK
- Corresponding author. Department of Medical Imaging, University of Liverpool, Johnstone Building, Brownlow Hill, P.O. Box 147, Liverpool, Merseyside L69 3GB, UK. Tel.: +44 151 794 5763; fax: +44 151 794 5776.
Jonathan Brooks
- Magnetic Resonance and Image Analysis Research Centre, University of Liverpool, Johnstone Building, Brownlow Hill, P.O. Box 147, Liverpool, Merseyside L69 3GB, UK
- Department of Human Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
Dave Percy
- Centre for Operational Research and Applied Statistics, University of Salford, Salford, Greater Manchester M5 4WT, UK

Received 16 December 2005; accepted 28 July 2006.

Abstract

Purpose

Hormonal activity causes breast volume to change during the menstrual cycle. One possible cause of this volume change is thought to be due to water retention or oedema within the tissues. We used magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to study the variation in breast volume and ¹H Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS) to measure T₂ relaxation times which are known to increase with increasing tissue water content. We hypothesised that an increase in breast volume will elevate T₂ relaxation due to the presence of an increased water content within the breast. T₂ Relaxation time and volume were studied in fifteen control subjects and in a cohort of eight patients with cyclical mastalgia in order to determine whether changes in breast volume and T₂ relaxation times differed in controls and patients during menses, ovulation and premenses.

Method

Breast volume was determined by the Cavalieri method in combination with point counting techniques on MR images and T₂ relaxation times of the water and fat in a voxel of breast tissue were obtained using ¹H Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS).

Results

Statistical analysis (ANOVA) demonstrated highly significant differences in breast volume between the three stages of the cycle (p<0.0005) with breast volume being greatest premenstrually. Patients did not exhibit an increase in volume premenstrually, significantly above controls. T₂ of fat or water did not depend on stage of cycle. T-tests demonstrated no significant differences in T₂ of water or fat between patient and control groups. The average T₂ relaxation time of water was lowest in the patient and control groups during ovulation and highest in the patient group during premenses.

Conclusion

We have performed the first combined volumetric and spectroscopic study of women with cyclical mastalgia and demonstrated that the global changes in volumes and T₂ were not significantly different from normal menstrual variations.

Keywords: Cavalieri method, Menstrual cycle, Mastalgia, MRI, Spectroscopy, Stereology