Christopher C Riedl MD, Presenter: Nothing to Disclose

Teresa G Wagner MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Silvia Jaromi MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Daniel Floery MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Gertraud Heinz-Peer MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Thomas Helbich MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

To assess the value of MR imaging (MRI) of the breast, mammography (MG), and ultrasound (US) in women with a high risk for breast cancer.

Patients with a germ line BRCA 1/2 mutation and patients with a high risk for breast cancer due to their family history are recruited for this prospective nonrandomized comparative trail. The standardized protocol consists of an annual multi-modality examination (MME) including clinical examination, ultrasound, mammography and MRI studies. We report our results on the first 234 included women (85 BRCA-positive, 83 BRCA-negative and 65 women with test results pending) who underwent at least one MME.

In 234 asymptomatic patients with a total of 340 MME, 40 open biopsies revealed 17 (43%) breast carcinomas. All 17 (100%) carcinomas were detected by MRI, 10 (59%) by mammography and 12 (71%) by ultrasound. No additional cancer was found with MG or US only. 2/17 carcinomas were palpable. For MRI, MG and US the sensitivity was 100%, 40%, and 29%; the specificity was 93%, 96%; and 96%; the PPV was 53%, 44%, and 36%; the NPV was 100%, 95%, and 94%; and the accuracy was 93%, 91% and 90%.

MRI of the breast seems to be superior to mammography and ultrasound for screening high risk breast cancer patients. MG as a routine screening modality could be dispensable for young high risk patients with high breast density.

Riedl, C, Wagner, T, Jaromi, S, Floery, D, Heinz-Peer, G, Helbich, T, Comparison of MR Imaging of the Breast, Mammography, and Ultrasound in the Surveillance of Women at High Risk for Breast Cancer: Preliminary Results in 234 Women.  Radiological Society of North America 2004 Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting, November 28 - December 3, 2004 ,Chicago IL. http://archive.rsna.org/2004/4414658.html