[Helical CT of the breast: detection of intraductal spread and multicentricity of breast cancer].
OBJECTIVE
This study was performed to evaluate the clinical utility of postcontrast helical CT (HCT) scan for the detection of intraductal spread (DS) and multicentricity of breast cancer.


METHODS
DS and multicentricity in 84 patients with invasive ductal carcinoma were evaluated by preoperative postcontrast HCT. The HCT protocol of 3-mm section width and 3 mm/sec table speed was used with the patients in a supine position. Scanning started 70sec after beginning the intravenous injection of 90 ml (27 gI) of contrast material at the rate of 1.5 ml/sec. The three-dimensional images were displayed.


RESULTS
Eighty-four of 84 main tumors (100%) were shown as enhanced masses by postcontrast HCT. The sensitivity and specificity of HCT for the detection of DS and multicentricity were 60.0% (18/30) and 88.9% (48/54), and 88.9% (16/18) and 90.9% (60/66), respectively. When DS and multicentric lesions were combined, the sensitivity and the specificity were 76.3% (29/38) and 89.1% (41/46), respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
HCT of the breast is effective in detecting DS and multicentric lesions of breast cancer and might be useful in helping surgeons to successfully perform breast-conserving surgery.
Uematsu
T
T
Department of Radiology, Niigata Cancer Center Hospital.
Shiina
M
M
Kobayashi
S
S
Shimizu
K
K
Sano
M
M
Makino
H
H
Homma
K
K
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001940:Breast / Q000473:pathology*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D018270:Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008327:Mammography; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*