Radiotransparency of polyvinylpyrrolidone-hydrogel and hydrogel breast implants: a quantitative analysis with mastectomy specimens.
Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women. Past evidence suggested that women with silicone implants who had cancer presented with more advanced disease and had the worst prognosis due to difficulty visualizing early lesions on mammography. Hence, new filling materials have been developed. In this study, 10 mastectomy specimens were used. Mammograms of specimens alone and specimens covering polyvinylpyrrolidone-hydrogel and hydrogel implants were performed. The variables studied were number of mammograms necessary to examine each specimen, kilovolts and milliamperes of each mammogram, number of isolated microcalcifications, microcalcification clusters and macroscopic calcifications, and rarefaction areas. No significant differences were found in number of mammograms (p = 0.439), isolated microcalcifications (p = 0.178), macrocalcifications (p = 1.0), and presence of rarefaction areas (p = 0.368). The difference in number of microcalcification clusters was significant (p = 0.0498). Significant differences (p < 0.001) also were observed in the kilovolts and milliamperes of the mammograms performed for specimens alone versus those with implants. Polyvinylpyrrolidone-hydrogel and hydrogel breast implants allow adequate visualization of mammary glands at the expense of greater radiation doses, although it must be considered that the experimental situation does not fully match the real clinical setting.
Garcia-Tutor
Emilio
E
Plastic Surgery, Hospital Universitario de Guadalajara, Spain. egtutor@sescam.jccm.es
Alonso-Burgos
Alberto
A
Marre
Diego
D
Adrian
Carmen Alfaro
CA
D019928:Breast Implantation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods; D018427:Breast Implants; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery; D002114:Calcinosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020136:Hydrogel, Polyethylene Glycol Dimethacrylate / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016462:Mammaplasty / Q000009:adverse effects; D008327:Mammography / Q000379:methods; D008408:Mastectomy; D008422:Materials Testing; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D011205:Povidone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013048:Specimen Handling
D020136:Hydrogel, Polyethylene Glycol Dimethacrylate; D011205:Povidone