Ring Enhancement in Non-Neoplastic Breast Tissue on MRI During Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy for Breast Cancer: Incidence and Clinical Implications

Abstract

This study aimed to describe new lesions called ring enhancement in non-neoplastic breast tissue on breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) in breast cancer patients, and to investigate the factors influencing their occurrence. We retrospectively reviewed 811 consecutive patients (mean age; 50.0 [range, 24-81] years) with breast cancer who had undergone NAC between January 2020 and December 2021, identifying cases with new ring enhancement on post-NAC MRI. We analyzed the MRI findings and identified factors that were potentially associated with ring enhancement through statistical analyses using the chi-square test, univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis. Forty-seven (5.8%) patients developed new ring enhancement on post-NAC MRI. The variables associated with ring enhancement were premenopausal status (p=0.0007), younger age (p=0.0011), high mammographic density (p=0.0076), and high background parenchymal enhancement (BPE) on baseline MRI (p=0.0001). Among these, high BPE was independently associated with the occurrence of ring enhancement (p=0.0294, OR=2.08; CI: 1.08-4.03). In a subset of high BPE patients, an association between HER2-positive cancers and ring enhancement was observed (odds ratio=5.51 vs. 2.54). New lesion development exhibited no association with any specific NAC drug (p=0.1676-0.7583 per drug). Ring enhancement often occurs on post-NAC MRI and mostly disappears on subsequent MRI scans. High BPE on MRI was associated with this finding and HER2-positive cancers potentiated it. Knowledge of this finding can prevent unnecessary biopsies.