title: Imaging of breast cancer-related changes after nonsurgical therapy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this article is to review both expected and unexpected thoracic CT manifestations of nonsurgical breast cancer treatment with multimodality imaging correlation. Specific topics include the spectrum of posttherapy changes attributed to chemotherapy and radiation therapy and the spread of breast cancer.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Thoracic CT is an important tool commonly used for breast cancer staging and surveillance and for diagnostic indications such as shortness of breath and chest pain. Imaging findings can be related to progression of disease or to associated conditions, such as pulmonary embolism. The hallmarks of breast cancer spread in the thorax include pulmonary nodules, enlarged lymph nodes, pleural effusions, thickening or nodularity, and sclerotic or lytic skeletal lesions. Less common findings including pulmonary lymphangitic tumor spread and pericardial metastasis. The findings also may represent the sequelae of surgery, radiation therapy, or chemotherapy for breast cancer. Knowledge of various treatment methods and their expected and unexpected CT findings is important for recognizing treatment-related abnormalities to avoid confusion with breast cancer spread and thereby minimize the risk that unnecessary further diagnostic imaging will be performed.
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Radiology, Division of Breast Imaging, University of Michigan Health System, Ann Arbor, MI.
authors.forename: Zeynep N
authors.initials: ZN
authors.lastname: Yilmaz
authors.forename: Colleen H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Neal
authors.forename: Mitra
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Noroozian
authors.forename: Katherine A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Klein
authors.forename: Baskaran
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sundaram
authors.forename: Ella A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Kazerooni
authors.forename: Jadranka
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Stojanovska
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011832:Radiation Injuries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology*; D013902:Radiography, Thoracic / Q000379:methods; D020266:Radiotherapy, Conformal / Q000009:adverse effects*; D013896:Thoracic Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents