Federica Vasselli MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Federica Pediconi MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Maria Laura Luciani MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Valeria Casali, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Marianna Telesca MD, Presenter: Nothing to Disclose

Elena Miglio, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Carlo Catalano MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Roberto Passariello MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

To investigate if enhancement patterns of non-mass-breast lesions at MRI may help in the differential diagnosis between benign and malignant lesions.

We retrospectivly selected from our database 166 patient presenting non-mass-enhancement lesions at breast MRI (2007-2011). Definitive diagnosis was available in 116 patients by means of breast biopsy and by one year follow-up in 50 patients. MRI was performed with 1.5 T scanner before and after administation of dimeglumine gadobenate. Image analysis was performed by two radiologists in consensus and blinded to clinical data. Non-mass enhancement were cathegorized in to eight patterns (focal, linear, intraductal, regional, segmental, ring-like, diffused bilateral, diffused monolateral). Enhancement pattern were compared with the final diagnosis expressed in terms of benignity or malignancy.

MRI identified 256 non-mass lesions (162 focal, 10 linear, 22 intraductal, 17 regional, 14 segmental, 1 non mass-like ring-like, 24 diffused bilateral, 6 diffused monolateral). The final diagnosis respect to the enhancement pattern was as follows: focal pattern (93/162 benign, 58%; 69/162 malignant, 42%), linear pattern (9/10 benign, 90%; 1/10 malignant, 10%), intraductal pattern (13/22 benign, 59%; 9/22 malignant, 41%), regional pattern (1/17 benign, 6%; 16/17 malignant, 94%), segmental pattern (2/14 benign, 14%; 12/14 malignant, 86%), ring-like pattern (1/1 malignant, 100%), bilateral diffuse pattern (24/24 benign, 100%) monolateral diffuse pattern (4/6 benign, 67%; 2/6 malignant, 33%).

Categorization of non-mass-enhancement lesions into patterns of enhancement may help in the differential diagnosis between benign and malignant lesions. The diffused and linear enahcement patterns were more frequently correlated with benign nature, while regional and segmental pattern were more frequently associated with malignancy. However, the most common pattern in our series (focal pattern) and the linear pattern are not relevantly associated with benignity or malignancy.

Categorization of non-mass-enhancement lesions into patterns of enhancement may help in the differential diagnosis between benign and malignant lesions.

Vasselli, F, Pediconi, F, Luciani, M, Casali, V, Telesca, M, Miglio, E, Catalano, C, Passariello, R, Usefulness of Categorization into Enhancement Patterns of Non-Mass-enhancement Lesions at Breast-MRI: A Retrospective Study.  Radiological Society of North America 2011 Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting, November 26 - December 2, 2011 ,Chicago IL. http://archive.rsna.org/2011/11034511.html