A retrospective comparison of contrast enhanced spectral mammography (CESM) to breast MRI in breast cancer detection: An initial study for sensitivity analysis.

Abstract

7 Background: CESM is a new study using contrast and dual energy digital mammographic technology to detect contrast enhanced cancer that may be invisible on conventional mammogram. Limited studies have shown that adding CESM to diagnostic workup adjunct with mammogram and breast ultrasound does increase sensitivity for breast cancer detection. More studies are needed to compare the sensitivity of CESM to BMRI to further define the role of CESM in breast cancer diagnosis. Methods: This study involved 50 malignant breasts in 48 women retrospectively chosen from of 960 patients in our institution during the period of October 2012 to March 2014. Both CESM and BMRI were done for each patient within 30 days. The cancer diagnoses were confirmed by tissue diagnoses. The size of lesions was classified into three categories based on standard of breast cancer stages: 1 (0.2cm - < = 2 cm), 2 (2 cm < lesion < = 5 cm), 3 (> 5 cm). The enhancement intensity of both lesions and background has been quantified based on a scale of 0-3. Statistical significance was analyzed using T test for mean size of index cancer and mean score of enhancement intensity of background and lesions on CESM and BMRI. Sensitivity and positive predictive value (PPV) were calculated for both CESM and BMRI. Morphology consistence was calculated on both studies. Results: Both CESM and BMRI have sensitivity of 100% for breast cancer detection. CESM has a PPV of 98% versus 93% for BMRI. No statistical significance was identified on mean size of index cancer. The enhancement intensity of background and lesions is significantly higher on CESM than on BMRI (p < 0.01). The smallest cancer can be detected by both CESM and BMRI is less than 0.5 cm. Morphology consistence was 46/50 (92%). Conclusions: Our study indicates that CESM and BMRI have comparable high sensitivity on breast cancer detection. CESM has a higher PPV than BMRI that may indicate a better specificity (no significant difference due to the small sample size). Significantly less background enhancement intensity on CESM than on BMRI reflect an increased specificity. More studies need to be conducted for further evaluation.