MDCT of the breast.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to evaluate retrospectively the accuracy of low-dose MDCT in the differentiation of breast lesions suspected on mammography and sonography.


METHODS
MDCT was performed on 61 patients with mammographic or sonographic findings suggestive of breast cancer who could not undergo MR mammography. For each lesion, morphologic features, attenuation, and time-attenuation curve pattern were evaluated. The 1-minute cut point of attenuation was analyzed on the images. CT findings were compared with histopathologic results, which were the reference standard.


RESULTS
Forty-seven of 61 patients underwent surgery, and the pathologic findings revealed 27 malignant and 20 benign lesions. With CT 25 of 27 malignant lesions and all 20 benign lesions were diagnosed correctly. CT had a sensitivity of 92.6%, specificity of 100%, positive predictive value of 100%, negative predictive value of 90.9%, and accuracy of 95.74%. The cutoff attenuation value, which had the best validity for differentiating malignant and benign lesions, was calculated to be 90 H on the 1-minute images.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results confirm and strengthen the importance of all imaging parameters and not one in particular. Dynamic MDCT can be used in the evaluation of selected patients with suspected breast tumors.
Perrone
Anna
A
Department of Radiological Sciences, University La Sapienza of Rome-Policlinico Umberto I, Via Regina Elena, 324, 00161 Rome, Italy.
Lo Mele
Luigi
L
Sassi
Simona
S
Marini
Marina
M
Testaverde
Lorenzo
L
Izzo
Luciano
L
Marini
Mario
M
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008327:Mammography / Q000379:methods*; D008875:Middle Aged; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*