Longitudinal registration of T1-weighted breast MRI: A registration algorithm (FLIRE) and clinical application

MRI is commonly used to aid breast cancer diagnosis and treatment evaluation. For patients with breast cancer, neoadjuvant chemotherapy aims to reduce the tumor size and extent of surgery necessary. The current clinical standard to measure breast tumor response on MRI uses the longest tumor diameter. Radiologists also account for other tissue properties including tumor contrast or pharmacokinetics in their assessment. Accurate longitudinal image registration of breast tissue is critical to properly compare response to treatment at different timepoints.