Three-dimensional helical CT of the breast: accuracy for measuring extent of breast cancer candidates for breast conserving surgery.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the accuracy of three-dimensional (3D) helical computed tomography (CT) for assessing the extent of breast cancer of candidates for breast conserving surgery.


METHODS
Results of helical CT were studied in 144 lesions of 144 patients with breast cancer before breast-conserving surgery. A lesion was defined as positive if focal enhancement was detected by CT within 100 s after contrast material administration. After resection, tumors were histopathologically mapped and correlated with the extent of 3D images.


RESULTS
Helical CT enabled detection of 143 tumors but not of one ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS). The median deviation of the tumor extension revealed by 3D helical CT images from pathological assessment was 7.7 mm (range 0-60 mm). The extent of tumors was significantly correlated with CT measurements (r = 0.714, p < 0.0001). By multivariate analysis, the presence of invasive tumors with intraductal extensions beyond the edge of the invasive tumor and histologic type (DCIS) were significant risk factors for deviation of the tumor extension revealed by 3D helical CT images from pathological assessment.


CONCLUSIONS
Three dimensional helical CT of the breast is an accurate preoperative imaging modality for assessing the extent of breast cancer candidates for breast conserving surgery.
Uematsu
T
T
Department of Radiology, Niigata Cancer Center Hospital, Japan. taka44@niigata-cc.niigata.niigata.jp
Sano
M
M
Homma
K
K
Shiina
M
M
Kobayashi
S
S
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D002285:Carcinoma, Intraductal, Noninfiltrating / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D015412:Mastectomy, Segmental; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging / Q000379:methods*; D018579:Patient Selection; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*