Breast Tumor Heterogeneity Quantification using 3D Ultrasound Texture

Breast tumors are heterogeneous disease that can vary among individuals (intertumor heterogeneity) and within a patient’s tumor (intratumor heterogeneity). Intratumor heterogeneity indicates the existence of varied cellular groups within a tumor, potentially influencing tumor progression and impacting therapy response. Ultrasound, a primary imaging modality for breast tumors, can offer valuable insights into the subtle texture characteristics throughout the entire tumor, particularly when employed in a three-dimensional mode. In this study, our objective is to quantitatively assess the intratumor heterogeneity using three-dimensional B-mode ultrasound texture to enhance our understanding of tumor heterogeneity in treatment-naïve breast tumor patients. The results of our study underscore the presence of varied textural characteristics within the tumor across different spatial locations. These observations suggest the potential for non-invasive biomarkers that can offer insights into the tumor microenvironment, behavior, and progression.