Value of Dual-Energy Computed Tomography Quantitative Parameters in Evaluating the Efficacy of Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy for Breast Cancer.

RATIONALE AND

OBJECTIVES

To investigate the value of dual-energy computed tomography (DECT) quantitative parameters and their percentage changes for evaluating the therapeutic response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) in breast cancer.

MATERIALS AND

METHODS

Clinical data from 43 patients with histologically confirmed breast cancer who underwent contrast-enhanced DECT scans before and after NAC were retrospectively analyzed. Based on the postoperative Miller-Payne (MP) grading system, patients were classified into an effective group (MP grades 4-5, n = 18) and an ineffective group (MP grades 1-3, n = 25). Quantitative parameters-including normalized iodine concentration (NIC), spectral slope (λHU), and electron density (ED)-were measured before and after NAC. The percentage changes (ΔNIC%, ΔλHU%, and ΔED%) were calculated and compared between the two groups.

RESULTS

Before NAC, no statistically significant differences were observed in any of the quantitative parameters (NIC, λHU, and ED) between the effective and ineffective groups (P > 0.05). After NAC, the effective group showed significantly greater ΔNIC% and ΔλHU% in the arterial phase, as well as significantly greater ΔNIC%, ΔλHU%, and ΔED% in the venous phase than did the ineffective group (all P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Changes in DECT-derived quantitative parameters, especially venous-phase ΔNIC%, ΔλHU%, and ΔED%, were associated with response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy in breast cancer, indicating the potential of DECT-based metrics to support imaging evaluation of treatment response.