title: The Spatial Relationship of Malignant and Benign Breast Lesions with Respect to the Fat-Gland Interface on Magnetic Resonance Imaging.
abstract: The fat-gland interface in the breast is noteworthy in that major vessels and lymphatic channels supplying the breast are located there; however, the relationship between breast lesion formation and the fat-gland interface is poorly understood. Here we evaluate the location of malignant and benign breast lesions with respect to the fat-gland interface in 881 women 50 years of age and younger, utilizing MR imaging. We find that most breast lesions are located in or near the interface in qualitative (89.7%) and quantitative (90.0%, 1 cm within the interface) analyses. This propensity for the fat-gland interface is not accounted for by breast anatomy, whereby 12.3% and 55.7% of breast volume is within 2 mm and 1 cm of the interface, respectively. Malignant lesions were located in or near the interface in significantly higher proportions than benign lesions in qualitative (94.3% vs. 67.3%, P < 0.001) and quantitative (49.7% vs. 34.5%, P < 0.001, 2 mm within the interface) analyses. This phenomenon may reflect a biological importance of the fat-gland interface in breast cancer development and progression.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Seoul National University College of Medicine and Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Korea.|Department of Radiology, Kyungpook National University Medical Center, Daegu, Korea.
authors.forename: Won Hwa
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: International Radiology Imaging System, ShenZhen Mindray Bio-Medical Electronics Co., LTD., Shenzhen 518057, China.
authors.forename: MuLan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Wonshik
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Han
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Han Suk
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Ryu
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Seoul National University College of Medicine and Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Woo Kyung
authors.initials: WK
authors.lastname: Moon
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D000328:Adult; D001941:Breast Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011856:Radiographic Image Enhancement; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D055815:Young Adult