Dual-Energy Contrast-Enhanced Spectral Mammography: Enhancement Analysis on BI-RADS 4 Non-Mass Microcalcifications in Screened Women.
BACKGROUND
Mammography screening is a cost-efficient modality with high sensitivity for detecting impalpable cancer with microcalcifications, and results in reduced mortality rates. However, the probability of finding microcalcifications without associated cancerous masses varies. We retrospectively evaluated the diagnosis and cancer probability of the non-mass screened microcalcifications by dual-energy contrast-enhanced spectral mammography (DE-CESM).


METHODS
With ethical approval from our hospital, we enrolled the cases of DE-CESM for analysis under the following inclusion criteria: (1) referrals due to screened BI-RADS 4 microcalcifications; (2) having DE-CESM prior to stereotactic biopsy; (3) no associated mass found by sonography and physical examination; and (4) pathology-based diagnosis using stereotactic vacuum-assisted breast biopsy. We analyzed the added value of post-contrast enhancement on DE-CESM.


RESULTS
A total of 94 biopsed lesions were available for analysis in our 87 women, yielding 27 cancers [19 ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), and 8 invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC)], 32 pre-malignant and 35 benign lesions. Of these 94 lesions, 33 showed associated enhancement in DE-CESM while the other 61 did not. All 8 IDC (100%) and 16 of 19 DCIS (84.21%) showed enhancement, but the other 3 DCIS (15.79%) did not. Overall sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and accuracy were 88.89%, 86.56%, 72.72%, 95.08% and 87.24%, respectively. The performances of DE-CESM on both amorphous and pleomorphic microcalcifications were satisfactory (AUC 0.8 and 0.92, respectively). The pleomorphous microcalcifications with enhancement showed higher positive predictive value (90.00% vs 46.15%, p = 0.013) and higher cancer probability than the amorphous microcalcifications (46.3% VS 15.1%). The Odds Ratio was 4.85 (95% CI: 1.84-12.82).


CONCLUSIONS
DE-CESM might provide added value in assessing the non-mass screened breast microcalcification, with enhancement favorable to the diagnosis of cancers or lack of enhancement virtually diagnostic for non-malignant lesions or noninvasive subgroup cancers.
Department of Medical Imaging and Intervention, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou, Taoyuan, Taiwan.|Medical College of Chang Gung University, 5 Fuxing Street, Guishan Township, Taoyuan County, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
Yun-Chung
YC
Cheung
Department of Medical Imaging and Intervention, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou, Taoyuan, Taiwan.|Medical College of Chang Gung University, 5 Fuxing Street, Guishan Township, Taoyuan County, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
Yu-Hsiang
YH
Juan
Department of Medical Imaging and Intervention, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou, Taoyuan, Taiwan.|Medical College of Chang Gung University, 5 Fuxing Street, Guishan Township, Taoyuan County, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
Yu-Ching
YC
Lin
Department of Surgery, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou, Taoyuan, Taiwan.|Medical College of Chang Gung University, 5 Fuxing Street, Guishan Township, Taoyuan County, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
Yung-Feng
YF
Lo
Department of Surgery, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou, Taoyuan, Taiwan.|Medical College of Chang Gung University, 5 Fuxing Street, Guishan Township, Taoyuan County, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
Hsiu-Pei
HP
Tsai
Department of Pathology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou, Taoyuan, Taiwan.|Medical College of Chang Gung University, 5 Fuxing Street, Guishan Township, Taoyuan County, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
Shir-Hwa
SH
Ueng
Department of Surgery, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou, Taoyuan, Taiwan.|Medical College of Chang Gung University, 5 Fuxing Street, Guishan Township, Taoyuan County, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
Shin-Cheh
SC
Chen
D000368:Aged; D002114:Calcinosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D003287:Contrast Media / Q000737:chemistry*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008327:Mammography / Q000379:methods*; D008403:Mass Screening; D008875:Middle Aged; D012372:ROC Curve
D003287:Contrast Media