The clinical value of bilateral breast MR imaging: is it worth performing on patients showing suspicious microcalcifications on mammography?
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical value of bilateral breast magnetic resonance (MR) imaging (MRI) in patients showing suspicious microcalcifications on mammography and negative ultrasound findings. Fifty patients underwent MRI before stereotactic vacuum-assisted breast biopsy (SVAB). MR findings were classified into five types for interpretation, and types 4 and 5 were considered malignant. SVAB revealed 13 carcinomas and 37 benign lesions. Malignant lesions were more frequently found in cases of positive MRI diagnoses than in negative MRI diagnoses (P < 0.001). Mammography had a sensitivity of 100%, a specificity of 24% and an accuracy of 44%, whereas mammography plus MRI had a sensitivity of 85%, a specificity of 100% and an accuracy of 96%. In the evaluation of mammographically detected microcalcifications, bilateral breast MRI is of good diagnostic value and may alter the indications for SVAB.
Department of Diagnostic Radiology, School of Medicine, Keio University, 35 Shinanomachi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan. ayanon@cg7.so-net.ne.jp
Ayano
A
Akita
Akihiro
A
Tanimoto
Hiromitsu
H
Jinno
Kaori
K
Kameyama
Sachio
S
Kuribayashi
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001940:Breast / Q000473:pathology*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D002114:Calcinosis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011230:Precancerous Conditions / Q000175:diagnosis*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity