Journal of Breast Imaging最新文献

Objective: To assess features of automated breast US (ABUS) use in women with dense breasts. The number of additional cancers found by ABUS not detected by mammography was also determined.

Methods: This study was approved by the IRB and is HIPAA compliant. Automated breast US use was defined as completing at least 1 ABUS examination during the study. Data from 51 086 women who presented for a mammogram from October 1, 2017, to September 30, 2022, were extracted from the electronic health record. Descriptive statistics of ABUS use were performed to assess the significance of difference between age and race categories. Pairwise analysis with Bonferroni correction was performed to assess differences between each race and the White category.

Results: Automated breast US was used for 9865/24 637 (40%) patients with dense breasts. Patients with ABUS use were older than those without. Among women with dense breasts, White patients (4943/10 667 [46%]) were more likely to use ABUS than Black/African American (2604/6843 [38%]), Hispanic/Latino (1466/4278 [34%]), Asian (521/1590 [33%]), and other (331/1249 [26%]) patients (P <.05). Approximately 3025/9865 (31%) of patients using ABUS had their first ABUS within 90 days of their mammogram. By the third annual mammogram, 2684/3160 (85%) of patients who used ABUS had their ABUS and mammogram scheduled on the same day. For every 1000 ABUS exams, 2.4 additional cancers were found and were primarily early-stage tumors.

Conclusion: Among women with dense breasts, 9865/24 637 (40%) used ABUS, and they were more likely to be older and White.

Health services research (HSR) is a multidisciplinary field of inquiry that examines how health care is structured, providing valuable data on health care outcomes and delivery. Over the past few decades, a shift in the U.S. health care system toward value-based care has placed a priority on health services topics. Health services research has been central to the evolution of breast imaging over this period, with increased emphasis placed on the following: (1) design of appropriate-use criteria for imaging services; (2) determination of cost-effectiveness of imaging protocols and screening regimens guiding policy; and (3) evaluation of policy related to reimbursement for diagnostic imaging and image-guided procedures. Examples of HSR topics that can be applied directly to breast imaging include evaluation of health care availability and accessibility, analysis of health care use patterns, exploration of patient preferences, assessment of technological innovation, development and implementation of clinical practice guidelines and screening strategies, and examination of health care organization and delivery models. Breast imaging radiologists who perform HSR are uniquely positioned to advocate for patients, to promote transformative health care interventions, and to influence policy changes and public health initiatives in breast imaging through analysis of health care data and translation of their research findings. In this Training and Professional Development article, we aim to provide practical approaches to explore interest in HSR and to describe a framework for successful integration of HSR into a breast imaging career.

Secretory carcinoma is a rare, low-grade, special histological type of invasive breast carcinoma. Although it is the most common primary breast cancer in the pediatric population, most cases are diagnosed in adults, with a median age of 48 years (range 3 to 91 years). It most often presents as a painless and slowly growing palpable lump. Imaging findings are nonspecific. Secretory carcinomas have abundant periodic acid-Schiff positive intracytoplasmic and extracellular secretions on histopathology. Nearly all secretory carcinomas have mild to moderate nuclear pleomorphism with low mitotic activity. Over 80% (86/102) of secretory carcinomas display the translocation of t(12;15)(p13;q25), resulting in ETV6::NTRK3 gene fusion. Secretory carcinoma generally has an indolent course and has a better prognosis and overall survival than invasive breast carcinoma of no special type. A good prognosis is associated with age <20 years, tumor size <2 cm, and ≤3 axillary lymph node metastases. Metastases beyond the ipsilateral axillary lymph nodes are rare, with the most common sites involving the lung and liver. Except for the potential addition of targeted drug therapy for NTRK fusion-positive tumors, the treatment approach is otherwise similar to invasive breast carcinomas of similar receptor status.

Objective: The Food and Drug Administration approved the MRI-compatible wireless SCOUT localization system in April 2022. The purpose of this study was to evaluate feasibility of SCOUT localization under MRI guidance. We present our initial experience adopting MRI-guided SCOUT localization and compare it to MRI-guided wire localization.

Methods: Electronic medical records and imaging were retrospectively reviewed for all patients who underwent MRI-guided SCOUT or wire localization at our institution between October 2022 and July 2023. Statistical analysis was performed using 2-sample proportion and Wilcoxon rank-sum tests.

Results: There were 14 MRI-guided SCOUT and 23 MRI-guided wire localization cases during the study period. All SCOUTs were placed without complication and were considered to be in adequate proximity to the target. There was no significant difference in complication rate (P = .25) or days lapsed from MRI-detected abnormality to surgery (P = .82) between SCOUT and wire cases. SCOUT was placed at time of biopsy for 71% (10/14) of cases. 57% (8/14) of SCOUT cases were used for breast conservation surgery (BCS) compared to 100% (23/23) of wire cases (P <.01), with all 6 SCOUTs not used for BCS placed at time of biopsy.

Conclusion: MRI-guided SCOUT localization is feasible and offers an alternative to MRI-guided wire localization, with no SCOUT complications reported. SCOUT placement at time of biopsy obviates the need for an additional procedure, but predicting appropriateness is challenging, with 60% (6/10) of SCOUTs placed at time of MRI-guided biopsy not used for subsequent localization surgery.

Objective: To evaluate the clinical performance and financial costs of breast-specific gamma imaging (BSGI) as a biopsy-reducing problem-solving strategy in patients with inconclusive diagnostic imaging findings.

Methods: A retrospective analysis of all patients for whom BSGI was utilized for inconclusive imaging findings following complete diagnostic mammographic and sonographic evaluation between January 2013 and December 2018 was performed. Positive BSGI findings were correlated and biopsied with either US or stereotactic technique with confirmation by clip location and pathology. After a negative BSGI result, patients were followed for a minimum of 24 months or considered lost to follow-up and excluded (22 patients). Results of further imaging studies, biopsies, and pathology results were analyzed. Net savings of avoided biopsies were calculated based on average Medicare charges.

Results: Four hundred and forty female patients from 30 to 95 years (mean 55 years) of age were included in our study. BSGI demonstrated a negative predictive value (NPV) of 98.4% (314/319) and a positive predictive value for biopsy of 35.5% (43/121). The overall sensitivity was 89.6% (43/48), and the specificity was 80.1% (314/392). In total, 78 false positive but only 5 false negative BSGI findings were identified. Six hundred and twenty-one inconclusive imaging findings were analyzed with BSGI and a total of 309 biopsies were avoided. Estimated net financial savings from avoided biopsies were $646 897.

Conclusion: In the management of patients with inconclusive imaging findings on mammography or ultrasonography, BSGI is a problem-solving imaging modality with high NPV that helps avoid costs of image-guided biopsies.

Early detection decreases deaths from breast cancer. Yet, there are conflicting recommendations about screening mammography by major professional medical organizations, including the age and frequency with which women should be screened. The controversy over breast cancer screening is centered on 3 main points: the impact on mortality, overdiagnosis, and false positive results. Some studies claim that adverse psychological effects such as anxiety or distress are caused by screening mammography. The purpose of this article is to address negative breast cancer screening concerns including overdiagnosis and overtreatment, effect on mortality, false positive results, mammography-related anxiety, and fear of radiation.

South Asians are a rapidly growing subset of the Asian population in the United States. They comprise people from multiple countries with diverse beliefs, languages, and cultural identities and values. The incidence of breast cancer is rising in South Asian women in the United States, with earlier onset and predilection for HER2-enriched tumors. Despite the rising incidence of breast cancer, participation in screening remains lower than other populations. Health care inequities in South Asian women are multifactorial and may be due to traditional health beliefs and practices, language barriers, cultural differences, and lack of overall awareness. Developing a culturally sensitive environment in breast imaging clinic practice can lead to improved patient care and adherence. Given the scarcity of data specific to the South Asian population in United States, there is a need for health service researchers and practice leaders to obtain more high-quality data to understand the needs of South Asian patient populations.

Improving the status of women in radiology is crucial to better work environments. There is strong evidence in the business world that women leaders improve the workplace by making it more financially viable and by increasing collaboration, job satisfaction, and engagement. Diverse leadership fosters innovation, and women approach problem-solving with unique insights and collaborative styles. Gender diversity in leadership correlates with improved patient outcomes because women leaders prioritize patient-centered care and communication. Women create sustainable, productive work and improve radiology. Women serve as powerful role models, inspiring the next generation of women in radiology and addressing gender disparities. Increasing women leaders in radiology is essential to increase the number of women in radiology. This article summarizes many challenges women face when taking leadership roles: organizational biases prioritizing male viewpoints and marginalizing women's voices and contributions, a lack of role models, a lack of time ("second shift"), a lack of confidence, a lack of interest or perceived benefit, a lack of support, burnout, and previous poor experiences. While systemic issues are difficult to overcome, this article assists in the training and development of women radiologists by offering strategies to enhance job satisfaction and bring new and valuable perspectives to leadership.

Background: Due to the superficial location, suspicious findings of the nipple-areolar complex (NAC) are not amenable to stereotactic or MRI-guided sampling and have historically necessitated surgical biopsy or skin-punch biopsy. There are limited reports of US-guided core biopsy of the nipple (US-CBN).

Objective: We report our nearly 3-year pilot experience with US-CBN at an academic breast imaging center.

Methods: An institutional review board-exempt and HIPAA-compliant retrospective review was performed. We assessed patient demographics, breast imaging characteristics, procedural data, pathology, and outcomes.

Results: Nine female patients aged 27 to 64 underwent US-CBN from January 2021 to October 2023. Initial imaging abnormalities included abnormal MRI enhancement, mammographic calcifications, and sonographic masses. After initial or second-look US, all imaging findings had sonographic correlates for biopsy specimens, the majority of which were sonographic masses (8/9). US-CBN was performed by 6 breast radiologists using a variety of devices. All biopsy specimen results were concordant with sonographic abnormalities, although 1 was considered discordant from the initial abnormality seen on MRI. There were no complications, and discomfort during the procedure was well-treated. Two patients (22%, 2/9) were diagnosed with malignancy.

Conclusion: This pilot study demonstrated that US-CBN can be performed by a breast radiologist for definitive diagnosis of suspicious nipple abnormalities seen on breast imaging, avoiding surgery, and maintaining nipple integrity. In our population, 22% (2/9) of US-CBNs revealed malignancy.