Improvement of motion-related misalignments in dynamic contrast-enhanced breast MRI using advanced 3D fast elastic image registration

Abstract

Motivation: Motion and breathing artifacts in DCE breast MRI can cause misalignment among each dynamic, resulting in inaccurate tumor assessment. Goal(s): Our goal was to demonstrate the feasibility of advanced fast elastic image registration (FEIR) for correction of misalignment in breast DCE MRI. Approach: FEIR was applied and evaluated in 11 patients who underwent breast DCE examinations. Results: Advanced FEIR clearly improved misalignments among dynamic scans and provided improved accuracy of time intensity curves (TICs). Impact: FEIR improves motion related misalignments among respective dynamic scans in DCE breast MRI, it could improve the TICs more accurately.