Researchers at Johns Hopkins have for the first time used a chemical marker detected by proton magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging (MRSI) to successfully diagnose breast cancer. The diagnostic technique produces pictures of choline within breast tumors.

In the study, researchers from the Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science at Hopkins demonstrated that choline signals analyzed by MRI were significantly elevated in malignant tumors in 15 of 18 patients studied. Three of the cases could not be included because of technical failures such as patient movement or computer failure during the scanning procedure.

The results are published in the December-January issue of the Journal of Magnetic Resonance Imaging.

Scientists have long known that cancers contain elevated levels of choline, a product of membrane synthesis, but the Hopkins study is believed to be the first to demonstrate its value in accurately identifying breast tumors.