Magnetic resonance imaging in the diagnosis of local recurrences in breast cancer.
Breast conserving therapy (BCT) has turned out to be the standard procedure for the treatment of breast cancer. While the risk of local recurrences was reported as 1-2% or more per year after treatment, follow-up including clinical examination, mammography and even sonography is of priority. This study was performed to assess the efficacy of contrast-enhanced dynamic magnetic resonance tomography (NMR) for the diagnosis of local recurrences after breast conserving therapy, compared to palpation, mammography and ultrasound. In 33 patients local recurrences within the breast were diagnosed after breast conserving surgery. The sensitivity for the diagnosis of local recurrences after BCT was as follows: palpation (51%), mammography (67%), ultrasound (85%) and NMR (91%). All multicentric local recurrences were diagnosed by NMR. Mammography was not able to diagnose 11 local recurrences in radiodense breasts. Here ultrasound was able to diagnose 8 of 11 recurrences, while NMR was able to diagnose 10 of 11 recurrences. Therefore, ultrasound should be included into routine follow-up protocols after BCT to achieve an acceptable sensitivity for the detection of local recurrences. Under defined conditions and indications MRI is the best method to complement mammography and sonography with the highest sensitivity for the diagnosis of local recurrences in the radiodense breast.
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Erlangen, Germany.
S
S
Krämer
R
R
Schulz-Wendtland
K
K
Hagedorn
W
W
Bautz
N
N
Lang
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008327:Mammography; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D010173:Palpation; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014463:Ultrasonography