Contrast-Enhanced Mammography (CEM) compared to Breast Magnetic Resonance (MRI) in the evaluation of breast lobular neoplasia.

PURPOSE: To compare the diagnostic performance (detection, assessment of correct disease extent and multifocality/centricity) of Contrast-Enhanced Mammography (CEM) Versus Breast Magnetic Resonance (MRI) in the study of lobular neoplasms. METHODS: We retrospectively selected all the patients who underwent surgery for a lobular breast neoplasm, either an in situ or an invasive tumor, and had undergone both breast CEM and MRI examinations during the pre-surgical planning. Wilcoxon Signed Rank test was performed to assess the differences between size measurements using the different methods and the post-surgical pathological measurements, considered the gold standard. The agreement in identifying multifocality/multicentricity among the different methods and the pathology was assessed using the Kappa statistics. RESULTS: We selected 19 patients, of which one presented a bilateral neoplasm. Then, the images of these 19 patients were analyzed, for a total of 52 malignant breast lesions. We found no significant differences between the post-surgical pathological size of the lesions and the calculated size with CEM and MRI (p-value of the difference respectively 0.71 and 0.47). In all 20 cases, neoplasm detection was possible both with CEM and MRI. CEM and MRI showed an excellent ability to identify multifocal and multicentric cases (K statistic equal to 0.93 for both the procedures), while K statistic was 0.11 and 0.59 for FFDM and US, respectively. CONCLUSION: The findings of this study suggest that CEM is a reliable imaging technique in the preoperative setting of patients with lobular neoplasm, with comparable results to breast MRI.

Advances in breast cancer risk modeling: integrating clinics, imaging, pathology and artificial intelligence for personalized risk assessment.

Breast cancer risk models represent the likelihood of developing breast cancer based on risk factors. They enable personalized interventions to improve screening programs. Radiologists identify mammographic density as a significant risk factor and test new imaging techniques. Pathologists provide data for risk assessment. Clinicians conduct individual risk assessments and adopt prevention strategies for high-risk subjects. Tumor genetic testing guides personalized screening and treatment decisions. Artificial intelligence in mammography integrates imaging, clinical, genetic and pathological data to develop risk models. Emerging imaging technologies, genetic testing and molecular profiling improve risk model accuracy. The complexity of the disease, limited data availability and model inputs are discussed. A multidisciplinary approach is essential for earlier detection and improved outcomes.

Contrast-enhanced mammography BI-RADS: a case-based approach to radiology reporting.

Contrast-enhanced mammography (CEM) is a relatively recent diagnostic technique increasingly being utilized in clinical practice. Until recently, there was a lack of standardized reporting for CEM findings. However, this has changed with the publication of a supplement in the Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS). A comprehensive understanding of CEM is essential for further enhancing its role in both screening and managing patients with breast malignancies. CEM can also be beneficial for problem-solving, improving the management of uncertain breast findings. Practitioners in this field should become more cognizant of how and when to employ this technique and interpret the various CEM findings. This paper aims to outline the key findings in the updated version of the BI-RADS specifically dedicated to CEM. Additionally, it will present some clinical cases commonly encountered in clinical practice.Critical relevance statement Standardized reporting and a thorough understanding of CEM findings are pivotal for advancing the role of CEM in screening and managing breast cancer patients. This standardization contributes significantly to integrating CEM as an essential component of daily clinical practice.Key points • A complete knowledge and understanding of the findings outlined in the new BI-RADS CEM are necessary for accurate reporting.• BI-RADS CEM supplement is intuitive and practical to use.• Standardization of the CEM findings enables more accurate patient management.

History of Mammography: Analysis of Breast Imaging Diagnostic Achievements over the Last Century.

Breast cancer is the most common forms of cancer and a leading cause of mortality in women. Early and correct diagnosis is, therefore, essential to save lives. The development of diagnostic imaging applied to the breast has been impressive in recent years and the most used diagnostic test in the world is mammography, a low-dose X-ray technique used for imaging the breast. In the first half of the 20th century, the diagnosis was in practice only clinical, with consequent diagnostic delay and an unfavorable prognosis in the short term. The rise of organized mammography screening has led to a remarkable reduction in mortality through the early detection of breast malignancies. This historical review aims to offer a complete panorama of the development of mammography and breast imaging during the last century. Through this study, we want to understand the foundations of the pillar of radiology applied to the breast through to the most modern applications such as contrast-enhanced mammography (CEM), artificial intelligence, and radiomics. Understanding the history of the development of diagnostic imaging applied to the breast can help us understand how to better direct our efforts toward an increasingly personalized and effective diagnostic approach. The ultimate goal of imaging applied to the detection of breast malignancies should be to reduce mortality from this type of disease as much as possible. With this paper, we want to provide detailed documentation of the main steps in the evolution of breast imaging for the diagnosis of breast neoplasms; we also want to open up new scenarios where the possible current and future applications of imaging are aimed at being more precise and personalized.

Outer retinal tubulation formation and clinical course of advanced age-related macular degeneration.

Outer retinal tubulations (ORT) are a relatively new finding characterizing outer retinal atrophy. The main aim of the present study was to describe ORT development in advanced age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and to assess its relationship with disease's severity. Patients with advanced AMD characterized either by macular neovascularization or geographic atrophy, showing signs of outer retinal disruption or retinal pigment epithelium atrophy on structural optical coherence tomography (OCT) at the inclusion examination were prospectively recruited. All the patients underwent complete ophthalmologic evaluation, structural OCT scans and fundus autofluorescence imaging. The planned follow-up was of 3-years. Main outcome measures were ORT prevalence, mechanism of ORT formation, mean time needed for complete ORT formation, best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), definitely decreased autofluorescence (DDAF) area, questionably decreased autofluorescence (QDAF) area, retinal layer thickness, foveal sparing, number of intravitreal injections. We also assessed the possible role of external limiting membrane (ELM) and Müller cells in ORT pathogenesis. Seventy eyes (70 patients) were included; 43 showed dry AMD evolving to geographic atrophy, while 27 displayed the features of wet AMD. Baseline BCVA was 0.5 ± 0.5 LogMAR, decreasing to 0.9 ± 0.5 LogMAR at the 3-year follow-up (p < 0.01). We detected completely formed ORT in 26/70 eyes (37%), subdivided as follows: 20 eyes (77%) wet AMD and 6 eyes (23%) dry AMD (p < 0.01). ORT took 18 ± 8 months (range 3-35 months) to develop fully. We described the steps leading to ORT development, characterized by progressive involvement of, and damage to the photoreceptors, the ELM and the RPE. Eyes displaying ORT were associated with a smaller QDAF area, less retinal layers damage and lower rate of foveal sparing than eyes free of ORT (p < 0.01). We also described pigment accumulations simulating ORT, which were detected in 16/70 eyes (23%), associated with a greater loss of foveal sparing, increased DDAF area and smaller QDAF area at the 3-year follow-up (p < 0.01). In conclusion, this study provided a description of the steps leading to ORT development in AMD. ELM and Müller cells showed a role in ORT pathogenesis. Furthermore, we described a subtype of pigment hypertrophy mimicking ORT, evaluating its clinical utility.