Does adding diffuse optical tomography to sonography improve differentiation between benign and malignant breast lesions? Observer performance study.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate the added value of diffuse optical tomographic categories combined with conventional sonography for differentiating between benign and malignant breast lesions.

Methods: In this retrospective database review, we included 145 breast lesions (116 benign and 29 malignant) from 145 women (mean age, 46 years; range, 16-86 years). Five radiologists independently reviewed sonograms with and without a diffuse optical tomographic category.

Comparison of new and established full-field digital mammography systems in diagnostic performance.

Objective: To compare the diagnostic performance of new and established full-field digital mammography (FFDM) systems.

Materials And Methods: During a 15-month period, 1038 asymptomatic women who visited for mammography were prospectively included from two institutions. For women with routine two-view mammograms from established FFDM systems, bilateral mediolateral oblique (MLO) mammograms were repeated using the new FFDM system.

Differentiating benign from malignant thyroid nodules: comparison of 2- and 3- dimensional sonography.

Objectives: To compare the diagnostic performance of radiologists and to determine interobserver and intraobserver variability with regard to differentiation of benign and malignant thyroid nodules using prospectively obtained 2-dimensional (2D) and 3-dimensional (3D) sonograms.

Methods: This study had Institutional Review Board approval, and the requirement for patient informed consent was waived. Conventional 2D and 3D sonograms were obtained from 82 patients (age range, 20-77 years; mean age, 51 years) with 91 thyroid nodules (15 cancers, 13 indeterminate, and 63 benign lesions) before diagnostic fine-needle aspiration.

Distinguishing benign from malignant masses at breast US: combined US elastography and color doppler US--influence on radiologist accuracy.

Purpose: To investigate the effect of the combined use of ultrasonographic (US) elastography and color Doppler US on the accuracy of radiologists in distinguishing benign from malignant nonpalpable breast masses and in making the decision for biopsy recommendations at B-mode US.

Materials And Methods: This prospective study was conducted with institutional review board approval; written informed consent was obtained. A cohort of 367 biopsy-proved cases in 319 women (age range, 22-78 years; mean age, 48.

Feasibility of sentinel lymph node biopsy in breast cancer patients with initial axillary lymph node metastasis after primary systemic therapy.

Purpose: Primary systemic therapy (PST) downstages up to 40% of initial documented axillary lymph node (ALN) metastases in breast cancer. The current surgical treatment after PST consists of breast tumor resection and axillary lymph node dissection (ALND). This strategy, however, does not eliminate unnecessary ALND in patients with complete remission of axillary metastases.

The assessment of breast cancer response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy: comparison of magnetic resonance imaging and 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography.

Background: Neoadjuvant chemotherapy for locally advanced breast cancer is a widely accepted treatment. For assessment of the tumor response after chemotherapy, both magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (PET) are promising methods.

Purpose: To retrospectively compare MRI and PET in the assessment of tumor response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy for primary breast cancer with the pathologic response as the reference standard.

Aliasing artifact depicted on ultrasound (US)-elastography for breast cystic lesions mimicking solid masses.

Background: It has been reported that ultrasound (US)-elastography is helpful in differentiation of benign and malignant solid masses and in reducing benign biopsy procedures for the supplemental breast US in addition to screening mammography. Furthermore, potential application of US-elastography in distinguishing cystic lesions which is known to be a major source of benign biopsy results has been suggested.

Purpose: To describe the aliasing artifact on US-elastography for breast cystic lesions that mimic solid masses.

Computer-aided evaluation of breast MRI for the residual tumor extent and response monitoring in breast cancer patients receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy.

Objective: To evaluate the accuracy of a computer-aided evaluation program (CAE) of breast MRI for the assessment of residual tumor extent and response monitoring in breast cancer patients receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy.

Materials And Methods: Fifty-seven patients with breast cancers who underwent neoadjuvant chemotherapy before surgery and dynamic contrast enhanced MRI before and after chemotherapy were included as part of this study. For the assessment of residual tumor extent after completion of chemotherapy, the mean tumor diameters measured by radiologists and CAE were compared to those on histopathology using a paired student t-test.

Features of prospectively overlooked computer-aided detection marks on prior screening digital mammograms in women with breast cancer.

Objective: The purpose of this article is to describe the features of prospectively overlooked computer-aided detection (CAD) marks on prior screening digital mammograms for women with breast cancer.

Subjects And Methods: A CAD system embedded in a digital mammography system was prospectively applied to 50,100 screening mammograms between December 2003 and December 2006. Each mammogram was originally interpreted by one of five radiologists using the CAD information.

Sonoelastographic strain index for differentiation of benign and malignant nonpalpable breast masses.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic potential of the sonoelastographic strain index for differentiation of nonpalpable breast masses.

Methods: Ninety-nine nonpalpable breast masses (79 benign and 20 malignant) in 94 women (mean age, 45 years; range, 21-68 years) who had been scheduled for a sonographically guided core biopsy were examined with B-mode sonography and sonoelastography. Radiologists who had performed the biopsies analyzed the B-mode sonograms and provided American College of Radiology Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System categories.

Ultrasonography-guided vacuum-assisted biopsy of microcalcifications: Comparison of the diagnostic yield of calcified cores and non-calcified cores on specimen radiographs.

Background: Microcalcifications found on mammography of asymptomatic women can be sampled by ultrasound (US)-guided percutaneous breast biopsy when stereotactic core biopsy is unavailable or unsuccessful. The role of specimen radiograph needs to be reevaluated after US-guided biopsy.

Purpose: To compare retrospectively the histological diagnoses of calcified cores and non-calcified cores as depicted on specimen radiographs after a US-guided, 11-gauge, vacuum-assisted biopsy using surgical histology as the reference standard.

Mammographic and sonographic findings of primary breast lymphoma.

The objective of this study was to describe the mammographic and sonographic appearances of primary lymphoma of the breast. We retrospectively reviewed the mammographic and ultrasonographic images of 12 patients with primary lymphoma of the breast. Descriptions of imaging findings were made according to the Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System lexicon by two radiologists.