Dynamic helical CT mammography of breast cancer.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to determine whether dynamic helical computed tomography (CT)-mammography could assist in selecting the most appropriate surgical method in women with breast cancer.


METHODS
Preoperative contrast-enhanced helical CT scanning of the breast was performed on 133 female patients with suspicion of breast cancer at the same time as clinical, mammographic, and/or ultrasonographic examinations. The patients were scanned in the prone position with a specially designed CT-compatible device. A helical scan was made with rapid intravenous bolus injection (3 ml/s) of 100 ml of iodine contrast material. Three-dimensional maximum intensity projection (MIP) images were reconstructed, and CT findings were correlated with surgical and histopathological findings.


RESULTS
Histopathological analysis revealed 84 malignant lesions and seven benign lesions. The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy levels of the CT scanning were 94.6%, 58.6%, and 78.9%. Helical scanning alone revealed additional contralateral carcinomas in three of four patients and additional ipsilateral carcinomas in three of five patients. However, the technique gave false-positive readings in 24 patients. The preoperative CT-mammogram altered the surgical method in six patients.


CONCLUSIONS
Dynamic helical CT-mammography in the prone position may be one of the choices of adjunct imaging in patients with suspected breast cancer scheduled for surgery.
Yamamoto
Akira
A
Department of Radiology, Kyoto City Hospital, Japan.
Fukushima
Hitoshi
H
Okamura
Ryuji
R
Nakamura
Yoshiaki
Y
Morimoto
Taisuke
T
Urata
Yoji
Y
Mukaihara
Sumio
S
Hayakawa
Katsumi
K
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D003287:Contrast Media; D004867:Equipment Design; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008327:Mammography; D008875:Middle Aged; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D036542:Tomography, Spiral Computed / Q000295:instrumentation; D016217:Ultrasonography, Mammary
D003287:Contrast Media