Magnetic resonance imaging in size assessment of invasive breast carcinoma with an extensive intraductal component

• Main Authors: Bult Peter, Boetes Carla, Schouten van der Velden Arjan P, Wobbes Theo
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: BMC 2009-04-01
• Series: BMC Medical Imaging
• Online Access: http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2342/9/5

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Breast-conserving treatment of invasive breast carcinoma with an extensive intraductal component (EIC) is associated with DCIS-involved surgical margins and therefore it has an increased recurrence rate. EIC is a non-palpable lesion of which the size is frequently underestimated on mammography. This study was undertaken to evaluate the accuracy of MRI in size assessment of breast cancer with EIC.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>23 patients were identified and the mammographic (n = 21) and MR (n = 23) images were re-reviewed by a senior radiologist. Size on MR images was compared with histopathological tumour extent.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The correlation of radiological size with histopathological size was r = 0.20 in mammography (p = 0.39) compared to r = 0.65 in MRI (p < 0.01). Mammography underestimated histopathological tumour size in 62%. MR images over- or underestimated tumour size in 22% and 30% of the cases, respectively. In poorly differentiated EIC, MRI adequately estimated the extent more often compared to moderately differentiated EIC (60% versus 25%, respectively).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Size assessment of MRI imaging was more accurate compared to mammography. This was predominantly true for poorly differentiated EIC.</p>