Effect of menstrual cycle and menopausal status on apparent diffusion coefficient values and detectability of invasive ductal carcinoma on diffusion-weighted MRI.

The purpose of this study was to determine whether the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) and tumor detectability based on diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) are affected by the menstrual cycle or menopausal status in breast cancer patients. Institutional review board approval was obtained, and the requirement for informed consent was waived. A total of 124 women with invasive ductal carcinoma not otherwise specified (IDC NOS) who underwent breast MRI with DWI were included in this study. Two radiologists retrospectively measured the ADCs of tumor and contralateral normal glandular tissue and scored the tumor detectability. The ADCs and detectability were compared to menstrual cycle and menopausal status, based on patient questionnaires. ADCs of tumors and contralateral tissue were significantly lower in postmenopausal women than in premenopausal women (P = 0.006 and P < 0.001, respectively). Tumor detectability did not differ significantly between the premenopausal and postmenopausal groups (P = 0.454). Normalized ADCs were not significantly lower in postmenopausal women compared to premenopausal women (P = 0.880). There was no statistically significant difference in the absolute, contralateral, and normalized ADCs (P = 0.091, 0.809, and 0.299, respectively), and the tumor detectability (P = 0.680) according to the menstrual cycle. Although ADCs of the IDC and normal glandular tissue in postmenopausal women were significantly lower than those in premenopausal women, the menstrual cycle did not affect tumor detectability and ADCs of IDC.

Ultrasonographic hyperechoic lesions of the breast: are they always benign?

BACKGROUND: Most of the breast lesions show hypoechogenicity relative to fat on ultrasonography. The frequency and malignancy rate of hyperechoic lesions are not investigated in a large series. PURPOSE: To evaluate the frequency and malignancy rate of hyperechoic lesions on breast sonography and to investigate sonographic characteristics that may predict malignancy in hyperechoic breast lesions. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Radiologic reports of 16,416 patients who underwent breast sonography between 2007 and 2008 were searched using "hyperechoic", "echogenic" or "heterogeneous echoic" to describe lesions. Sonographic findings were evaluated according to the Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System lexicon. Clinical records including follow-up and pathologic findings were also reviewed. We calculated the frequency of hyperechoic lesions and their malignancy rate. Differences in sonographic appearances between benign and malignant lesions were also investigated. RESULTS: Among the 16,416 patients, 103 (0.6%) hyperechoic lesions were identified (mean size, 1.79 cm). Of these 103 lesions, 27 (26.2%) were pathologically evaluated and five (4.9%, 4 invasive ductal carcinoma and 1 mucinous carcinoma) were confirmed as malignant. Among the 819 malignant lesions diagnosed using sonography-guided core needle biopsy, five (0.6%) were hyperechoic. In benign lesions, fat necrosis and fibroadenoma were common pathologic diagnoses. Malignant lesions were more likely to have irregular shape (P = 0.003), non-parallel orientation (P = 0.002), non-circumscribed margin (P = 0.007), and a hypoechoic area (P = 0.027) than benign lesions. All hyperechoic carcinomas were seen as suspicious masses on mammograms. CONCLUSION: Hyperechoic masses are very rare and mostly benign. As an adjunct to mammography, the imaging findings reported here could help to avoid misdiagnosis for malignant hyperechoic lesion.

Stromal fibrosis of the breast: outcome analysis.

BACKGROUND: Stromal fibrosis in the breast is a non-specific benign pathologic entity with wide spectrum of imaging finding. The false-negative rates (number of cancers missed) previously reported have limited value because short follow-up period and small number of populations. PURPOSE: To describe the mammographic and sonographic findings of stromal fibrosis of the breast diagnosed by imaging-guided biopsy and to determine the false-negative rate at percutaneous biopsy. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Between January 2007 and December 2008, 3097 consecutive imaging-guided breast core biopsies were performed. Patients were included in our study if stromal fibrosis was the predominant pathologic finding. Patients who had received <2 years of follow-up were excluded. Mammographic and sonographic findings were reviewed. Follow-up imaging for >2 years and histologic data were reviewed to evaluate lesion stability. RESULTS: Stromal fibrosis was diagnosed in 187 (6.0%) of 3097 imaging-guided biopsies among patients with >2 years of follow-up (mean, 41.9 months). Among them, 91 (49%) of 187 lesions were not visible on mammography and calcifications were the most common findings, being identified in 33 lesions (17.6%). The most common sonographic finding was an oval hypoechoic mass with a circumscribed margin. Forty-two lesions (22.5%) were excised. Four false-negative lesions (2.1%, 4/187) were identified; all false-negative lesions were diagnosed within 6 months because of imaging-pathology discordance (75%, 3/4) or disease progression (25%, 1/4). CONCLUSION: Stromal fibrosis diagnosed by imaging-guided biopsy has a wide spectrum of imaging finding and can be managed safely with radiologic-pathologic correlation and subsequent short-term imaging follow-up.

US-guided transthoracic biopsy of peripheral lung lesions: pleural contact length influences diagnostic yield.

BACKGROUND: Transthoracic biopsy of peripheral lung lesions under ultrasonography (US) guidance is a useful diagnostic technique. However, factors affecting diagnostic yield of US-guided transthoracic biopsy of peripheral lung lesions are not well established. PURPOSE: To determine the factors that influence diagnostic yield of US-guided transthoracic biopsy in peripheral lung lesions. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total of 100 consecutive patients underwent US-guided percutaneous cutting biopsy of peripheral lung lesions from October 2007 to March 2009. After seven unconfirmed cases were excluded, 97 procedures in 93 consecutive patients were included in this study. The accuracy of the lung biopsies was assessed by comparing the biopsy results with the final diagnoses. We divided the cases into a correct group (true-positive and true-negative) and an incorrect group (false-positive, false-negative, and non-diagnostic results) and analyzed the differences in the lesions, procedures, and patient variables between the two groups. RESULTS: According to the final diagnoses, 56 cases (57.7%) were malignant and 41 cases (42.3%) were benign. An overall diagnostic accuracy of 91.8% was obtained. The median size of the lesions was 46.0 mm (interquartile range [IQR], 30.0-69.5 mm), and the median lesion-pleura contact arc length (LPCAL) was 31.0 mm (IQR, 18.0-51.0 mm). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that only LPCAL (odds ratio, 1.16; 95% CI, 1.04-1.30) was a significant predictor of a correct diagnosis. When we divided the lesions into those with LPCAL values >30 mm and LPCAL values ≤30 mm, the sensitivity (96.6% vs. 74.1%; P = 0.02) and the accuracy (98% vs. 85.4%; P = 0.03) were significantly higher in the group with larger LPCAL. CONCLUSION: In US-guided transthoracic biopsy of peripheral lung lesions, the LPCAL of the lesions is an important factor for a correct diagnosis.

Breast US in patients with breast cancer presenting as only microcalcifications on mammography: can US differentiate ductal carcinoma in situ from invasive cancer?

PURPOSE: To retrospectively review sonographic findings of breast cancers presenting as only microcalcifications on mammography and to evaluate factors essential for differentiating ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) from invasive cancers. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 620 consecutive patients with confirmed breast cancer according to surgery performed between March 2008 and October 2011 at our institution. Of these, 53 lesions from 52 patients who had only microcalcifications without a mass or other associated findings on mammography were selected. Sonographic findings of microcalcification areas were analyzed and correlated with the histopathological findings. RESULTS: Of the 53 lesions, 26 (49.18 %) were classified as invasive cancer and 27 (50.9 %) as DCIS. Ultrasonography (US) showed only echogenic calcifications in five (9.4 %), calcifications within hypoechoic parenchymal thickening in 14 (26.4 %), calcifications within ductal changes in three (5.7 %), and calcifications within a mass in 14 (26.4 %). Seventeen (32.1 %) lesions were not visible on US. Negative findings in US were more frequently observed for DCIS (n = 15, 55.6 %) than for invasive cancers (n = 2, 7.7 %) (p < 0.001). Masses (n = 11, 42.3 % of invasive cancer; n = 3, 11.1 % of DCIS; p = 0.01) were more frequently observed in invasive cancers than in DCIS. CONCLUSIONS: US findings of breast cancers presenting as only mammographic microcalcifications were significantly different between DCIS and invasive cancers. Targeted US of microcalcifications might be helpful for predicting invasive cancers and for determining the clinical preoperative work-up, including axillary staging.

Peripheral pulmonary arterial pseudoaneurysms: therapeutic implications of endovascular treatment and angiographic classifications.

PURPOSE: To classify peripheral pulmonary arterial pseudoaneurysms (PAPs) associated with infectious lung diseases according to angiographic findings and to determine treatment options for PAPs on the basis of angiographic classifications. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The institutional review board approved this study. A total of 24 patients with massive hemoptysis had PAPs that were detected at pulmonary computed tomographic (CT) angiography; underlying diseases were pulmonary tuberculosis (n = 16), a fungus ball (n = 5), lung abscess (n = 2), and pneumonia (n = 1). All patients underwent bronchial and nonbronchial systemic collateral arterial angiography and pulmonary and selective pulmonary angiography. On the basis of the angiographic findings, PAPs were classified into four types: PAPs visualized at nonselective right or left pulmonary angiography were defined as type A (n = 5), PAPs visualized at selective segmental or subsegmental pulmonary angiography were defined as type B (n = 10), PAPs apparent at bronchial and nonbronchial systemic collateral arterial angiography by means of a bronchopulmonary arterial shunt but not at selective pulmonary angiography were classified as type C (n = 5), and PAPs apparent at pulmonary CT angiography alone but not at catheter-directed angiography were classified as type D (n = 4). RESULTS: For type A or B PAPs, bronchial and nonbronchial systemic collateral arteries and pulmonary arteries were successively embolized. Hemoptysis was controlled for all type A and type B PAPs. For type C or type D PAPs, embolization alone of bronchial and nonbronchial systemic collateral arteries and follow-up pulmonary CT angiography were performed. Hemoptysis was not controlled in three of the nine patients: In those patients, percutaneous injection therapy (n = 2) and surgical resection (n = 1) were performed. CONCLUSION: Classification of PAPs on the basis of angiographic findings and determination of treatment options according to these findings are useful for the endovascular management of PAPs associated with massive hemoptysis.

Periductal mastitis mimicking breast cancer in a male breast.

Periductal mastitis in a male patient rarely has been reported in the English literature. Herein, we now present a rare case of periductal mastitis mimicking breast cancer, both clinically and radiologically, in a 37-year-old man. Mammogram and sonogram showed a mass with irregular shape, spiculated margin and a nipple retraction, mimicking a male breast cancer. Radiologic and pathologic correlation is provided.