Diffusion weighted MR imaging of the breast.

The aim of this work is to review the techniques and clinical applications of diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance (MR) imaging of the breast. Diffusion-weighted MR imaging plays a role in the differentiation breast cancer from benign lesions, the characterization of malignancy, and the detection of tumor extension. The apparent diffusion coefficient of breast cancer is correlated with tumor cellularity and some prognostic factors of breast cancer. It can be used for the differentiation of recurrent tumors from posttreatment changes and monitoring of patients after chemotherapy. Diffusion-weighted MR imaging is used for the characterization of breast mass, diagnosis, and the grading and staging of breast cancer, as well as prediction of the responses of patients with breast cancer to chemotherapy.