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

Christopher C. Riedl MD, Presenter: Nothing to Disclose

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

Michael Herbert Fuchsjaeger MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Caecilia Reiner, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

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

Optical molecular imaging of the female breast allows breast cancer detection using measurements of tissue haemoglobin concentration as a surrogate marker for tumor angiogenesis. The purpose of this study was to describe morphological findings in human breast lesions with CTLM, a novel optical molecular imaging technology.

In a prospective study, CTLM scans (CTLM scanner Model 1020 by IMDS, Inc. FL), and MG of 410 patients with 421 breast lesions were obtained. Histopathological diagnosis (biopsy, n=143 and/or surgery, n=278) was performed in all cases. CTLM images were read by radiologists with knowledge of the position of the lesions but who were blinded to histology and morphological findings from mammography. It was assessed whether there was increased absorption, a sign of malignancy, on CTLM and the appearance (volumes or linear branching) and shape (round or irregular) of the lesions. Missed carcinomas were assessed for type and histological grade.

Of 421 lesions, 191 (45.4%) were malignant and 230 (54.6%) were benign including 100 invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC), 30 invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC), and 48 ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS). Increased absorption was seen significantly more often in malignant (66.5%) than in benign breast lesions (37.0%, p< 0.05). Invasive ductal cancer showed most often increased absorption (76.0%), followed by invasive lobular carcinoma (63.3%) and DCIS (47.9%). Common morphological characteristics of increased absorption were “volumes” (91.8% of benign and 89.0% of malignant lesions) with round shape (71.2% of benign and 63.9% of malignant lesions). Missed carcinomas were DCIS in 25 cases and (39.1%), and grade one or two invasive cancer in 26 cases (40.6%).

Common morphological characteristics of increased absorption were “volumes” with round shape. The majority of missed cancers were noninvasive cancers and high-grade invasive carcinomas.

This paper described for the first time morphological characteristics of breast carcinomas with CT-Laser-Mammography.

Floery, D, Riedl, C, Jaromi, S, Fuchsjaeger, M, Reiner, C, Helbich, T, Optical Molecular Imaging of the Female Breast: Imaging Findings with CT-Laser Mammography (CTLM) in Human Breast Lesions.  Radiological Society of North America 2006 Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting, November 26 - December 1, 2006 ,Chicago IL. http://archive.rsna.org/2006/4440315.html