R2* MRI for Early Prediction of Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy Response in Breast Cancer Synopsis

Motivation: Neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) in breast cancer can vary significantly in effectiveness across patients, necessitating early markers to guide individualized treatment and avoid ineffective therapies. Goal(s): This study explores the utility of R2* values from IDEAL-IQ MRI as predictive biomarkers for NAC response and assesses their correlation with background parenchymal enhancement (BPE) on DCE-MRI. Approach: R2* values and BPE were measured from pre- and post-treatment MRI in 78 patients; data were analyzed for predictive value and correlation. Results: Combined delta R2*, delta affected R2*, and delta BPE achieved high predictive accuracy for pathologic complete response, with significant correlations observed with receptor subtypes and BPE. Impact: This research highlights R2* values from IDEAL-IQ MRI as valuable, early biomarkers for breast cancer chemotherapy response, potentially guiding clinical decisions, enhancing personalized treatment approaches, and contributing to better patient outcomes by reducing unnecessary or ineffective therapies.