Value of Shear Wave Elastography for the Differentiation of Benign and Malignant Microcalcifications of the Breast.

OBJECTIVE. The objective of our study was to evaluate whether shear wave elastography (SWE) can differentiate benign from malignant microcalcifications of the breast when detected on ultrasound (US). SUBJECTS AND METHODS. Between February 9, and June 23, 2016, 74 patients with mammographically detected suspicious microcalcifications underwent breast US. When microcalcifications were identified on US, stiffness was assessed using SWE. Biopsy was subsequently performed under US guidance using a 10-gauge vacuum-assisted needle. Qualitative and quantitative elastography results were compared between benign and malignant calcifications as well as between pure ductal carcinoma in situ and lesions with invasive components using the Mann-Whitney U test. ROC curves were created to assess the performance of SWE in detecting malignancy and invasive components. RESULTS. Twenty-nine groups of microcalcifications in 29 patients were identified on US. At pathology, 16 groups were benign and 13 were malignant. Stiffness of malignant calcifications was significantly higher than that of the benign ones (p = 0.0004). The AUC, sensitivity, specificity, negative predictive value, positive predictive value, and accuracy of SWE for the diagnosis of malignancy were 0.89, 69%, 100%, 80%, 100%, and 86%, respectively, and for detection of an invasive component were 0.93, 75%, 100%, 75%, 100%, and 85%. CONCLUSION. SWE has the potential to differentiate benign from malignant micro-calcifications of the breast when detected on US with high specificity.

Features from Computerized Texture Analysis of Breast Cancers at Pretreatment MR Imaging Are Associated with Response to Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy.

Purpose To evaluate whether features from texture analysis of breast cancers were associated with pathologic complete response (pCR) after neoadjuvant chemotherapy and to explore the association between texture features and tumor subtypes at pretreatment magnetic resonance (MR) imaging. Materials and Methods Institutional review board approval was obtained. This retrospective study included 85 patients with 85 breast cancers who underwent breast MR imaging before neoadjuvant chemotherapy between April 10, 2008, and March 12, 2015. Two-dimensional texture analysis was performed by using software at T2-weighted MR imaging and contrast material-enhanced T1-weighted MR imaging. Quantitative parameters were compared between patients with pCR and those with non-pCR and between patients with triple-negative breast cancer and those with non-triple-negative cancer. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to determine independent parameters. Results Eighteen tumors (22%) were triple-negative breast cancers. pCR was achieved in 30 of the 85 tumors (35%). At univariate analysis, mean pixel intensity with spatial scaling factor (SSF) of 2 and 4 on T2-weighted images and kurtosis on contrast-enhanced T1-weighted images showed a significant difference between triple-negative breast cancer and non-triple-negative breast cancer (P = .009, .003, and .001, respectively). Kurtosis (SSF, 2) on T2-weighted images showed a significant difference between pCR and non-pCR (P = .015). At multiple logistic regression, kurtosis on T2-weighted images was independently associated with pCR in non-triple-negative breast cancer (P = .033). A multivariate model incorporating T2-weighted and contrast-enhanced T1-weighted kurtosis showed good performance for the identification of triple-negative breast cancer (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve, 0.834). Conclusion At pretreatment MR imaging, kurtosis appears to be associated with pCR to neoadjuvant chemotherapy in non-triple-negative breast cancer and may be a promising biomarker for the identification of triple-negative breast cancer. © RSNA, 2017.

Flat epithelial atypia of the breast: pathological-radiological correlation.

OBJECTIVE: This study was undertaken to determine the prevalence of flat epithelial atypia at ultrasound-guided and stereotactically guided needle biopsies, to describe the mammographic and sonographic features of flat epithelial atypia, and to determine the significance of lesions diagnosed as flat epithelial atypia at imaging-guided needle biopsies. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Retrospective review of a database of 1369 consecutive sonographically and stereotactically guided needle biopsies performed during a 12-month period yielded 33 lesions with flat epithelial atypia as the most severe pathologic entity (32 patients). Two radiologists retrospectively reviewed the imaging presentation, by combined consensus, according to the BI-RADS lexicon. RESULTS: Twenty-two of 33 flat epithelial atypia diagnoses (67%) were obtained under stereotactic guidance, and 11 (33%) were obtained under sonographic guidance. Six patients had synchronous breast cancer. Flat epithelial atypia lesions presented mammographically most often as microcalcifications (20/33 [61%]) distributed in a cluster (14/20 [70%]) with amorphous morphology (13/20 [65%]). Sonographically, flat epithelial atypia lesions appeared most often as masses (9/11 [82%]), with an irregular shape (6/9 [67%]), microlobulated margins (5/9 [56%]), and hypoechoic or complex echotexture (7/9 [78%]). Twenty-eight of 33 lesions (85%) were surgically excised, confirming the flat epithelial atypia diagnosis in 11 of the 28 lesions (39%), yielding carcinoma in four (14%) and atypical ductal hyperplasia in six (21%). Columnar cell changes without atypia were diagnosed in four lesions (14%), and lobular carcinoma in situ was diagnosed in three lesions (11%). CONCLUSION: Mammographic and sonographic presentation of flat epithelial atypia is not specific (clustered amorphous microcalcifications and irregular, hypoechoic or complex masses). Given the underestimation rate of malignancy, surgical excision should be considered when imaging-guided biopsy yields flat epithelial atypia.

Breast imaging reporting and data system lexicon for US: interobserver agreement for assessment of breast masses.

PURPOSE: To retrospectively evaluate the interobserver agreement of radiologists who used the Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) lexicon to characterize and categorize ultrasonographic (US) features of breast masses. MATERIALS AND METHODS: No institutional review board approval or patient consent was required. Five breast radiologists retrospectively independently evaluated 267 breast masses (113 benign and 154 malignant masses in 267 patients) by using the BI-RADS US lexicon. Reviewers were blinded to mammographic images, medical history, and pathologic findings. Interobserver agreement was assessed with the Aickin revised kappa statistic. RESULTS: Interobserver agreement varied from fair for evaluation of mass margins (kappa = 0.36) to moderate for evaluation of lesion boundary (kappa = 0.48), echo pattern (kappa = 0.58), and posterior acoustic features (kappa = 0.47) to substantial for evaluation of mass orientation (kappa = 0.70) and shape (kappa = 0.64). For small (< or =0.7 cm; n = 49) or malignant (n = 154) masses, low concordance was noted for margin descriptors (kappa = 0.30 and 0.28, respectively) and BI-RADS category (kappa = 0.21 and 0.26, respectively). Overall, only fair agreement was obtained for BI-RADS category (kappa = 0.30). Agreement for subdivisions 4a, 4b, and 4c of BI-RADS category 4 was fair (kappa = 0.33), fair (kappa = 0.32), and poor (kappa = 0.17), respectively. CONCLUSION: Reproducibility of US BI-RADS terminology is good except for margin evaluation. A trend toward lower concordance was noted for the evaluation of small masses and malignant lesions. Classification into subdivisions 4a, 4b, and 4c was poorly reproducible.

Sonographic and mammographic appearances of breast hemangioma.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of our study was to retrospectively evaluate the clinical, imaging, and pathologic findings of breast hemangiomas in 16 patients. CONCLUSION: A mass displaying an oval or lobular shape with well-circumscribed or microlobulated margins on mammography and sonography, and in a superficial location, should alert the radiologist to the possible diagnosis of hemangioma. Imaging-guided biopsy appears sufficiently reliable to rule out any malignant or premalignant component and to avoid a surgical excision if doing so is clinically appropriate.

Imaging features and conspicuity of invasive lobular carcinomas on digital breast tomosynthesis.

OBJECTIVE: To review the imaging features of invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC) seen on digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) in comparison with invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC), and to evaluate whether DBT could improve conspicuity and tumour size assessment of ILC in comparison with digital mammography (DM). METHODS: Institutional review board with waiver of informed consent was obtained for this retrospective study. Patients with ILC or IDC who underwent DBT and DM at the time of diagnosis were included. DM and DBT images were reviewed in consensus by two breast radiologists in order to assess imaging features, conspicuity and maximum tumour diameter of ILC and IDC. Pathology on the surgical specimen was considered the standard of reference for assessment of tumour size. RESULTS: 43 patients (20 patients with ILC and 23 patients with IDC) were included. On DBT, compared with IDC, ILC presented less frequently as masses (40% vs 78%) (p = 0.01) and more frequently as isolated distortion (20% vs 0%) (p = 0.03). ILC presented more often as asymmetries (60%) than masses (20%) on DM (p = 0.02) but not on DBT (35% vs 40%; p = 1.00). Conspicuity of ILC was significantly higher on DBT than on DM (p = 0.002), while the difference between the two techniques was not significant for IDC (p = 0.2). Regarding ILC, concordance in tumour size measurement between DBT and pathology was fair (intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.24). CONCLUSION: ILC rarely presented as dense masses but frequently demonstrated architectural distortion on DBT. DBT increased lesion conspicuity but failed to accurately assess tumour size of ILC. Advances in knowledge: (1) This study describes specific features of ILC on DBT. (2) It shows that DBT can improve conspicuity of ILC.

Retroareolar Carcinomas in Breast Ultrasound: Pearls and Pitfalls.

Breast Ultrasound (US) is an important tool for both screening and diagnostic examinations. Although breast US has benefitted from significant recent technical improvements, its use for the retroareolar region is known to be more challenging than for other locations. The retroareolar location was defined by Giess et al. in 1998 as the region where any lesion is situated at less than two cm from the nipple and/or involves the nipple-areolar complex on mammogram. Understanding of the complex anatomy and physiology of the nipple-areolar region is important to avoid misinterpretation and misdiagnosis. The ability for the breast imager to manage difficulties related to the retroareolar area is paramount by adjusting settings (compounding, frequency, Doppler) and utilizing specific manoeuvers. Cases illustrating difficulties encountered in diagnosis of retroareolar carcinomas are presented.

Detectability of choledocholithiasis on CT: The effect of positive intraduodenal enteric contrast on portovenous contrast-enhanced studies.

BACKGROUND/AIM: To retrospectively assess the accuracy of intravenous (IV) contrast-enhanced multidetector CT (MDCT) in choledocholithiasis detectability, in the presence and absence of positive intraduodenal contrast. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Over a 3-year period, patients in whom endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) was performed within a week from a portovenous (PV)-enhanced abdominal CT were identified. The final cohort consisted of 48 CT studies in which the entire common bile duct (CBD) length was visualized (19 males, 29 females; mean age, 68 years). We identified two groups according to the absence (n = 31) or presence (n = 17) of positive intraduodenal contrast. CT section thickness ranged from 1.25 to 5 mm. Two radiologists, blinded to clinical information and ERCP results, independently evaluated the CT images. Direct CBD stone visualization was assessed according to previously predefined criteria, correlating with original electronic CT reports and using ERCP findings as the reference standard. A third reader retrospectively reviewed all discordant results. The diagnostic performances of both observers and interobserver agreement were calculated for both groups. RESULTS: 77%-88% sensitivity, 50%-71% specificity, and 71%-74% accuracy were obtained in the group without positive intraduodenal contrast, versus 50%-80% sensitivity, 57%-71% specificity, and 59%-71% accuracy in the group with positive intraduodenal contrast. With the exception of the positive predictive value (PPV), all diagnostic performance parameters decreased in the positive intraduodenal contrast group, mostly affecting the negative predictive value (NPV) (71%-78% vs 50%-67%). CONCLUSION: PV-enhanced MDCT has moderate diagnostic performance in choledocholithiasis detection. A trend of decreasing accuracy was noted in the presence of positive intraduodenal contrast.

Digital spot mammography using an add-on upright unit: diagnostic application in daily practice.

INTRODUCTION: To present the use of digital spot mammography (DSM) in a diagnostic practice. METHODS AND PATIENTS: Digital spot images of 779 women requiring a spot compression or a spot magnification view were collected. The digital images were acquired on a digital spot upright unit using a 61 mm x 61 mm field of view. Lesions reported included masses, calcifications, and areas of distortions. RESULTS: 1065 lesions required additional views with DSM. Lesions reported included masses (n = 113), masses and microcalcifications (n = 53), spiculated masses (n = 34), architectural distortions (n = 16), and microcalcifications (n = 849). DSMs were considered to be adequate in 97.7% of patients. Unsatisfactory exams resulted from difficulties encountered in targeting the area of interest at the beginning of our experience. CONCLUSION: DSM, most commonly used to perform interventional procedures, can also be used in a diagnostic practice taking advantage of post-processing of images not available with conventional spot compression and magnification.

Transmural colonic ischemia: clinical features and computed tomography findings.

Our purpose was to describe the computed tomography features of transmural colonic ischemia in correlation with clinical, laboratory and histopathological findings of 14 patients who underwent colectomy (9 female and 5 male; mean age, 68 years). Seven patients died (50%). Transmural necrosis involved the right colon in 10 patients (10/14, or 72%). Eleven patients showed thickened colonic wall (11/14, or 79%), 10 pneumatosis (10/14, or 71%), 5 gas in the portal venous system (5/14, or 36%), and 14 fat stranding (14/14, or 100%).

Tissue harmonic imaging, frequency compound imaging, and conventional imaging: use and benefit in breast sonography.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate different sonographic settings (tissue harmonic, frequency compounding, and conventional imaging) and to determine which setting optimizes breast lesion detection and lesion characterization. METHODS: Four hundred thirteen consecutive breast lesions (249 benign and 164 malignant) were evaluated by sonography using 4 different modes (conventional imaging at 14 MHz, tissue harmonic imaging at 14 MHz [THI], and frequency compound imaging at 10 MHz [CI10] and 14 MHz [CI14]). The images were reviewed by consensus by 2 breast radiologists. For each image, the lesion was graded for conspicuity, mass margin assessment, echo texture assessment, overall image quality, and posterior acoustic features. RESULTS: For lesion conspicuity, THI and CI14 were better than conventional imaging (P < .01) and CI10 (P < .01) particularly against a fatty background (P < .01 for THI versus conventional for a fatty background versus P = .13 for a dense background). Frequency compound imaging at 10 MHz performed the best in echo texture assessment (P < .01), as well as overall image quality (P < .01). For margin assessment, CI10 performed better for deep and large (> or =1.5-cm) lesions, whereas CI14 performed better for small (<1.5-cm) and superficial lesions. Finally, THI and CI14 increased posterior shadowing (P < .01) and posterior enhancement (P < .01). CONCLUSIONS: The standard breast examination incorporates 2 distinct processes, lesion detection and lesion characterization. With respect to detection, THI is useful, especially in fatty breasts. With respect to characterization, compound imaging improves lesion echo texture assessment. No single setting in isolation can provide the necessary optimized information for both of these tasks. As such, a combination approach is best.

Sonography of postexcision specimens of nonpalpable breast lesions: value, limitations, and description of a method.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of our study was to retrospectively review our experience regarding the value of sonography in identifying a nonpalpable mass within a surgically excised specimen and in assessing the surgical margins in cases of malignancy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: One hundred four lumpectomies were performed in 99 consecutive patients with 131 nonpalpable breast lesions after sonographically guided needle localization. All 104 surgical specimens were scanned on sonography, and 86 specimen radiographs were obtained. Visualization of the lesion on sonography was compared with specimen radiographs and histologic findings. Sonographic margin status was classified as negative (shortest distance between tumor and specimen margin, > 0.2 cm) or positive (shortest distance between tumor and specimen margin, 0.2 cm) and was compared with pathology results. RESULTS: Specimen sonography showed 95.4% (125/131) of the excised abnormalities; nonfatty background and a lesion size of greater than 0.5 cm contributed significantly to the success of specimen sonography. Four of six lesions missed on sonography were identified on specimen radiography. Among 81 malignant specimens, sonography identified 38 specimens with positive margins and 43 with negative margins. Pathologic examination revealed eight false-positive and 10 false-negative results (21% false-positive rate and 23.2% false-negative rate). CONCLUSION: Specimen sonography is an effective procedure for identifying the presence of the lesion within the specimen; however, it is of limited value in cases of small hypoechoic lesions against a fatty background. Assessment of margins is limited by both false-positive and false-negative results.

Contribution of tissue harmonic imaging and frequency compound imaging in interventional breast sonography.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to retrospectively compare conventional imaging, frequency compound imaging (CI), and tissue harmonic imaging (THI) in interventional breast sonography. METHODS: Institutional Review Board approval and patient informed consent were not required. The authors reviewed 104 sonographically guided breast procedures in 83 patients. For each biopsy, 4 images obtained with conventional imaging, frequency CI at 10 and 14 MHz (CI10 and CI14), and THI were graded independently by 2 radiologists for lesion conspicuity, needle conspicuity, lesion and needle conspicuity, and overall image quality. Frequency CI at 10 MHz, CI14, and THI were compared with conventional imaging. Different clinical scenarios (fatty versus glandular background, fine needle versus core needle, and oblique versus horizontal needle direction) were evaluated. RESULTS: Statistical analysis showed that for overall image quality, CI10 was the best setting (odds ratios [OR], 3.67 and 7.48). For lesion conspicuity, CI14 (OR, 3.55) and THI (OR, 1.77) improved lesion visibility in a fatty background, whereas THI (OR, 0.26) was very limited in a glandular background. For needle conspicuity, no setting was better than conventional, whereas THI was the least valuable setting (OR, 0.011 and 0.049). For lesion and needle conspicuity, CI10 showed significantly better results than conventional for a dense background (P = .0268 and .4028; OR, 2.435 and 1.383) with 1 reviewer, whereas THI was the least valuable setting (OR, 0.014 and 0.042). CONCLUSIONS: Conventional imaging provided the best assessment of lesion and needle conspicuity. Frequency compounding is a useful setting for dense breast and for fine-needle aspiration. Tissue harmonic imaging has a role in the visualization of a lesion against a fatty background but is of limited value in needle visualization.

Cavernous hemangioma of the breast: mammographic and sonographic findings and follow-up in a patient receiving hormone-replacement therapy.

We report the case of a 78-year-old woman who had been receiving hormone-replacement therapy (HRT) for 6 years and had a 4-month history of a painless nodule in the 9 o'clock position in her right breast. Mammography performed 4 years previously had shown a 4-mm bilobed, ovoid, well-defined nodule in that location; mammography performed 1 year previously had shown that the nodule had increased to 6 mm. We performed mammographic and sonographic examinations, which revealed a 10-mm ovoid nodule in the same 9 o'clock position in the right breast. The imaging findings appeared to indicate benignity, but because of the increasing size of the nodule, we undertook an ultrasound-guided large-core needle biopsy. The histopathologic diagnosis was typical cavernous hemangioma. It was not excised, but HRT was discontinued. Follow-up mammography and sonography 8 months later showed that the nodule had decreased to 6 mm. We believe that the HRT played a contributory role in the increasing size of this patient's cavernous hemangioma. The use of ultrasound-guided large-core needle biopsy is reliable enough to ascertain the benignity of such masses and can thus avoid, if it is clinically appropriate, the need for their surgical removal.