Breast ultrasonography (BU) in the screening protocol for women at hereditary-familial risk of breast cancer: has the time come to rethink the role of BU according to different risk categories?

This article evaluates the breast cancer (BC) screening efficacy of biannual ultrasound (US) in three different risk categories. In a single-center, prospective, nonrandomized comparison study, BRCA mutation carriers and women with high risk (HR) or intermediate risk (IR) received mammography (MMG), ultrasound, (US) and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), scheduled according to the risk categories. Single and combined sensitivity were evaluated in specific groups of risk and the US performance at six-monthly interval was notably considered.

Magnetic resonance imaging and ultrasonography in predicting infiltrating residual disease after preoperative chemotherapy in stage II-III breast cancer.

Background: This study was designed to evaluate the accuracy of breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and ultrasonography (US) in predicting the extent of breast residual disease after preoperative chemotherapy.

Methods: Patients with stage II-III invasive breast tumors who received preoperative chemotherapy and were imaged with post-treatment MRI were included. Histopathological verification was available for all patients.

Contrast-enhanced ultrasound in the characterisation of breast masses: utility of quantitative analysis in comparison with MRI.

Objective: To evaluate the reliability of contrast-enhanced ultrasound quantitative analysis (CE-US) in characterizing breast lesions, in comparison with MRI.

Materials: Thirty-nine patients with breast lesions BI-RADS 3-5 at US or mammography underwent CE-US and MRI. All lesions underwent histological and quantitative enhancement evaluation with both imaging methods.

Physical and clinical comparison between a screen-film system and a dual-side reading mammography-dedicated computed radiography system.

Background: Digital mammography systems, thanks to a physical performance better than conventional screen-film units, have the potential of reducing the dose to patients, without decreasing the diagnostic accuracy.

Purpose: To achieve a physical and clinical comparison between two systems: a screen-film plate and a dual-side computed radiography system (CRM; FUJIFILM FCR 5000 MA).

Material And Methods: A unique feature of the FCR 5000 MA system is that it has a clear support medium, allowing light emitted during the scanning process to be detected on the "back" of the storage phosphor plate, considerably improving the system's efficiency.

Breast cancer screening in women at increased risk according to different family histories: an update of the Modena Study Group experience.

Background: Breast cancer (BC) detection in women with a genetic susceptibility or strong family history is considered mandatory compared with BC screening in the general population. However, screening modalities depend on the level of risk. Here we present an update of our screening programs based on risk classification.

Usefulness of breast MRI in a patient with genetic risk.

We describe an interesting case-report represented by a patient carrying BRCA1 mutation, recruited for the study "Multicenter evaluation of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) in early diagnosis and prevention of breast cancer in high risk population", diagnosed with breast cancer on the basis of MRI findings but not with conventional mammography and ultrasound (US). She was already affected at 53 years of age by a multifocal Ductal Infiltrating Carcinoma (DIC) in the left breast; then, she had an axillary and sovraclavear nodal recurrence of the disease, three years after the initial diagnosis. Since other relatives were affected by breast cancer (mother, sister and niece) and two arose at early age (< 40 years), BRCA1 mutational analysis was offered to the patient, identifying a nonsense mutation on the exon 13.

Identification of families with hereditary breast and ovarian cancer for clinical and mammographic surveillance: the Modena Study Group proposal.

Hereditary factors play a fundamental role in the pathogenesis of breast cancer (BC). Approximately 15-20% of all BCs have been reported to show familial clustering. In spite of the recent demonstration and chromosomal localization of BC predisposing genes, clinical clues and careful inspection of pedigree still remain major instruments in HBC diagnosis.

Dermal elastin and collagen in systemic sclerosis. Effect of D-penicillamine treatment.

Skin biopsies from 4 systemic sclerosis (SSc) patients, 6 SSc patients treated with D-penicillamine (from 8 to 60 months) and 4 normal subjects were analyzed by light and electron microscopy. By light microscopy, collagen bundles of SSc dermis were thicker and more compact than in age-matched controls; D-penicillamine treatment did not significantly modify their organization. On the contrary, a stereological analysis showed that the elastin volume density was higher in patients than in controls, and increased again after D-penicillamine treatment: moreover, the number of elastin fibers per unit area was significantly higher in the dermis of patients compared to controls, and became even higher after D-penicillamine treatment.