A perceptual aid to delineating the extent of potential mammographic abnormalities

Arul Selvan,Yan Chen,Alastair Gale

doi:10.1186/bcr3781

Abstract

Being able to accurately determine the extent of a possible malignancy on a mammogram is an important task as this can affect the potential follow up surgical treatment that a woman receives after breast screening. It is known that this can be a difficult task, particularly where the lesion has diffuse abnormalities. A potential computer-aided approach is to employ Hierarchical Clustering-based Segmentation (HCS) and this interactive educational exhibit dynamically demonstrates this technique. HCS is an unsupervised segmentation process that when applied to an image yields a hierarchy of segmentations based on image pixel dissimilarities and so can be used to highlight areas in the mammographic image to aid interpretation.

Highlights

The aim was to compare the accuracy of standard supplementary views and GE digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) for assessment of soft tissue mammographic abnormalities
The measured parameter is the volume averaged speed of sound (VASS) [1,2]. It improves on mammography by measuring density at each voxel and holds promise as a cheap, patient-acceptable, non-ionising radiation method to evaluate density
This study was to evaluate the technique of Ultrasound tomography (UST) and compare VASS with percentage water density from non-contrast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)

Summary

Introduction

The aim was to compare the accuracy of standard supplementary views and GE digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) for assessment of soft tissue mammographic abnormalities. Methods: Prospective audit of data collated at the time of the microbubbles procedure together with multidisciplinary meeting records identified relevant screening and symptomatic patients with primary breast cancer treatment including axillary node surgery between 1 July 2014 and 1 July 2015. Breast MRI can be performed in the preoperative workup of patients with biopsy-proven breast cancer to size lesions, if there is discrepancy regarding the extent of disease from clinical, mammography or ultrasound assessment, and to identify multicentric or multifocal disease. Conclusion: MRI is more sensitive than the other three imaging modalities combined in accurately identifying multifocal breast cancer; DBT is still a useful adjunct in the evaluation of multifocal disease. Retrospective review of 399 patients who underwent biopsy for breast microcalcification during screening assessment from April 2012 to March 2013 was used to evaluate the performance and cost-effectiveness of both methods. Radiologist time may be better directed towards meeting the symptomatic breast 2-week wait standard

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