DIAGNOSTIC PERFORMANCE OF CONTRAST-ENHANCED SPECTRAL MAMMOGRAPHY: COMPARISON WITH CONTRAST-ENHANCED DYNAMIC MR IMAGING IN PATIENTS WITH SUSPECTED BREAST CANCER

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To compare the diagnostic performance of contrast-enhanced spectral mammography (CESM) with dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance (MR) imaging in terms of the detection of BI-RADS 4 and 5 lesions suspected of breast cancer. MATERIAL AND METHODS: 92 patients with ACR BI-RADS 4 and 5 lesions underwent CESM, MR Imaging, and consequent core biopsy. Two readers assessed the index lesions which were classified as mass lesions, non-mass lesions, and microcalcifications, and scored using a 7-point scoring system. RESULTS: A total of 98 index lesions were detected, including bilateral lesions in six patients. In histopathological analysis, 56 of the lesions were benign (56/98, 57%,) and 42 of the lesions were malignant (42/98, 43%). 55 of the lesions were classified as mass lesions, 18 as non-mass lesions, and 25 as microcalcifications. CESM scored 28 of the lesions (28,6%) as benign, and 70 (71,4%) of the lesions were malignant whereas these results were 30 (30,6%) and 68 (69,4%) for MR Imaging examinations, respectively. The sensitivity of both CESM and MR imaging for depicting the index cancer was 95 % for both modalities. In ROC (Receiver Operating Characteristic) analysis, AUC (Area Under the Curve) was 0.93 (%95 CI:0.870-0.977) for CESM and 0.94 (%95 CI:0.882-0.982) for MR Imaging. There was no statistically significant difference in AUC values between CESM and MR Imaging (p=0.332; p>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The diagnostic performance of CESM is similar when compared to MR imaging in the detection of index cancers in patients with BI-RADS 4 and 5 lesions. CESM may be used as a confidential diagnostic tool in this regard.