Breast cancer tumor size: correlation between magnetic resonance imaging and pathology measurements.
BACKGROUND
As physicians increasingly use magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for the evaluation of newly diagnosed breast cancers, a review of the correlation between MRI and pathology tumor size is imperative.


METHODS
A retrospective review of 91 breast tumors comparing preoperative MRI tumor size to final pathology tumor size was performed.


RESULTS
MRI and pathology tumor size were positively correlated (R = .650), but with an average overestimation by MRI of .63 cm (P <.0001). When stratified by MRI tumor size (< or = 2.0 cm and > 2.0 cm), a significant difference was found only in tumors greater than 2.0 cm (average overestimation = 1.06 cm; P <.0001). This trend continued for the histological subtypes of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC), and invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC).


CONCLUSIONS
MRI tumor size correlates with pathology size; however, a significant overestimation exists, particularly for tumors > 2.0 cm. Clinicians should therefore use caution in relying on MRI tumor size in determining candidacy for breast conservation therapy (BCT).
Onesti
Jill K
JK
Department of Surgery, The University of Kansas School of Medicine-Wichita, Wichita, KS, USA.
Mangus
Barry E
BE
Helmer
Stephen D
SD
Osland
Jacqueline S
JS
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging / Q000379:methods*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index