The Predictive Role of Mammography, Dynamic Contrast-Enhanced Breast Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Diffusion-Weighted Imaging in Hormone Receptor Status of Pure Ductal Carcinoma In Situ Lesions.

Objective: The aim of this retrospective study was to analyze the predictive capabilities of preoperative mammography, dynamic contrast-enhanced-magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI), and diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) in determining hormone receptor (HRc) status for pure ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) lesions.

Materials and methods: The study included a total of 79 patients who underwent preoperative mammography (MG) and MRI between December 2018 and December 2023 and were subsequently diagnosed with pure DCIS after surgery. The correlation between MG, DCE-MRI, and DWI features and estrogen receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor (PR) status was examined.

Results: Among the lesions, 44 were double HRc-positive (ER and PR-positive), 13 were single HRc-positive (ER-positive and PR-negative or ER-negative and PR-positive) and 22 were double HRc-negative (ER and PR-negative). The presence of symptom (p = 0.029), the presence of comedo necrosis (p = 0.005) and high histological grade (p<0.001) were found to be associated with ER and PR negativity. Amorphous microcalcifications were more commonly observed in the double HRc-negative group, while linear calcifications were more prevalent in both double and single HRc-positive groups (p = 0.020). Non-mass enhancement (NME) with a linear distribution was significantly more common in double HRc-negative lesions (38%), and NME with a segmental distribution in both double (43%) and single (50%) receptor-positive lesions (p = 0.042). Evaluation of DWI findings revealed that a higher lesion-to-normal breast parenchyma apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) ratio statistically increased the probability of HRc positivity (p = 0.033).

Conclusion: Certain clinicopathological, mammography, and MRI features, along with the lesion-to-normal breast parenchyma ADC ratio, can serve as predictors for HRc status in DCIS lesions.