Single-sided NMR was used to investigate the ability of spin-relaxation time constants to distinguish between regions of low and high mammographic density in human breast tissue. Measurements were performed on breast slices obtained from women undergoing breast reduction surgery or prophylactic mastectomy. T1 values in regions of high mammographic density were found to be significantly different to those measured in regions of low mammographic density. The findings suggest that portable NMR may be suitable for quantification of mammographic density in the breast tissue, presenting a promising and low-cost means of MD assessment in vivo without the use of ionising radiation.
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