Use of ultrasound H-Scan imaging for assessing of response of breast cancer patients for neoadjuvant chemotherapy
ePoster
Authors: Hanna Piotrzkowska Wroblewska, Institute of Fundamental Technological Research PAS Magdalena Gumowska, The Maria Sklodowska-Curie National Research Institute of Oncology Ziemowit Klimonda, IPPT PAN Jerzy Litniewski, Institute of Fundamental Technological Research PAN
Statistics show that each year the number of newly diagnosed cases of breast cancer exceeds 500,000. Currently, the most commonly used treatment method is neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC). The aim of the study was to evaluate the response of breast tumor to neoadjuvant chemotherapy after each chemotherapy cycle using H-scan images. Breast ultrasound examinations were performed in 83 tumors (49 responsive tumors and 34 non-responsive tumors). Acquisition of RF ultrasound echoes from tumors was performed before treatment and 7 days after each of four chemotherapy cycles. Two parallel convolution filters were applied to the RF data signals. The relative strength of these filter outputs was color-coded with the lower frequency backscatter signals assigned to the R channel (red) and the higher frequency components assigned to the B channel (blue). To quantify the images, the percentage of blue in the images was analyzed after each chemotherapy cycle. The AUC for the analyzed parameter as a function of chemotherapy courses was 0.73 (after the 2nd course), 0.85 (after the 3rd course) and 0.89 (after the 4th course). The analyzed parameter allowed to distinguish between patients responding and not responding to treatment, starting from the second dose of treatment.