Titanium vs Carbon Coated Ceramic Breast Tissue Marker Clips:: 3T MR Susceptibility Artifact and Local Signal Disturbance

Abstract

Spectroscopy signal of a breast lesion may be disrupted by the presence of metal from a biopsy marking clip. This study compares the size of magnetic resonance (MR) susceptibility artifacts and degree of local spectroscopy signal disturbance created by conventional titanium tissue marker clips to that of a novel carbon coated ceramic breast tissue marker clip. Five breast tissue marker clips were embedded in a gelatin breast phantom. The phantoms were imaged on a 3T MR scanner, and three-dimensional T1-weighted gradient echo images were obtained. The area of the susceptibility artifact was calculated and compared for each clip. Single voxel point resolved spectroscopy spectra (SVS) were acquired for three ceramic clips aligned along the superoinferior, anteroposterior, and left-right axes, respectively. Measurements were repeated for an area of pure gelatin and for one similarly sized titanium clip located arbitrarily in the main field. Water spectra were obtained, and line widths and areas of the water peaks were compared. All five clips were easily visible on MR imaging. The ceramic marker clip produced less apparent artifact when compared with the metallic clips. Spectral analysis demonstrated local frequency shifts around all clips. Line widths varied from 7 to 92 Hz in the voxels on and around the titanium clip and from 4 to 18 Hz around the ceramic clips. The ceramic breast tissue marker clip produced less susceptibility artifact and less line broadening on 3T MR imaging than conventional titanium clips. This tissue marker may reduce artifact and improve consistency of breast MR spectroscopy.