Resolving Arterial Phase in Dynamic Breast MRI using a Fast TWIST Acquisition during Injection Delay

Vascularisation is an important marker for the diagnosis of breast tumors. MR Mammography (MRM) is therefore used as a non-invasive, versatile method to characterize both microvessel density and macroscopic vascularity [1]. Although there is ample evidence that the overall vascularity is an indicator for tumor type and grade, separation of arteries from venous vessels is often hindered due to the distribution of the contrast agent in the vasculature and the loss of temporal information about the first-pass. However, the ability to resolve the first-pass dynamics, while still acquiring contrast-enhanced data following established protocols, might further improve the specificity of the method.