CLINICAL/METHODOLOGICAL ISSUE: Multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) aims to visualize and quantify biological, physiological and pathological processes at the cellular and molecular level and provides valuable information about key processes in cancer development and progression. "Omics" strategies (genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics) have many uses in oncology.

STANDARD RADIOLOGICAL METHODS

Multiparametric MRI of the breast currently includes T2-weighted, diffusion-weighted and dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI (DCE-MRI) METHODOLOGICAL INNOVATIONS: Additional parameters such as proton magetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS), chemical exchange saturation transfer (CEST), blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD), hyperpolarized (HP) MRI or lipid MRS are currently being developed and are being evaluated in breast cancer diagnostics.

ACHIEVEMENTS

Radiogenomics is a new direction in medical science that has been made possible by significant advances in imaging and image analysis methods, as well as the development of techniques to extract and correlate various imaging parameters with "omics" data. The aim of radiogenomics is to correlate imaging characteristics (phenotypes) with gene expression patterns, gene mutations and other genome-associated properties and is the evolution of the correlation between radiology and pathology from the anatomical-histological to the molecular level. Quantitative and qualitative imaging biomarkers provide insights into the complex tumor biology. Initial results suggest that radiogemics will play an important role in the diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of breast cancer.

PRACTICAL RECOMMENDATIONS

This article provides an overview of the current state of radiogenomics of the breast and future applications and challenges.