Contrast-enhanced spectral mammography vs. mammography and MRI - clinical performance in a multi-reader evaluation.

Objectives: To compare the diagnostic performance of contrast-enhanced spectral mammography (CESM) to digital mammography (MG) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in a prospective two-centre, multi-reader study.

Methods: One hundred seventy-eight women (mean age 53 years) with invasive breast cancer and/or DCIS were included after ethics board approval. MG, CESM and CESM + MG were evaluated by three blinded radiologists based on amended ACR BI-RADS criteria.

Intraindividual comparison of two methods of volumetric breast composition assessment.

Rationale And Objectives: To compare the results of two software-based methods, Quantra and Volpara, for volumetric breast composition assessment.

Materials And Methods: Four hundred forty-five normal, bilateral, two-view, digital mammograms were included. Breast volume (BV), fibroglandular tissue volume (FTV), and percent density (PD) were measured using both methods and compared.

Volumetric quantification of the effect of aging and hormone replacement therapy on breast composition from digital mammograms.

Objective: To assess the physiological changes in breast composition with aging using volumetric breast composition measurement from digital mammograms and to assess the effect of hormone replacement therapy (HRT).

Methods: A total of 764 consecutive mammograms of 208 non-HRT using women and 508 mammograms of 134 HRT-using women were analyzed using a volumetric breast composition assessment software (Quantra™, Hologic Inc.).

Response to neoadjuvant treatment of invasive ductal breast carcinomas including outcome evaluation: MRI analysis by an automatic CAD system in comparison to visual evaluation.

Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate imaging-based response to standardized neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) regimen by dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance mammography (DCE-MRM), whereas MR images were analyzed by an automatic computer-assisted diagnosis (CAD) system in comparison to visual evaluation. MRI findings were correlated with histopathologic response to NACT and also with the occurrence of metastases in a follow-up analysis.

Patients And Methods: Fifty-four patients with invasive ductal breast carcinomas received two identical MRI examinations (before and after NACT; 1.

Volume matters: CT-based renal cortex volume measurement in the evaluation of living kidney donors.

Currently, no international standard for the pre-transplant evaluation of living donor renal function exists. Following a standardized questionnaire on current practice in all Eurotransplant (ET) centers, we compared a new CT-based technique to measure renal cortex volume with our standard of DTPA-clearance combined with MAG3-scintigraphy (DTPA × MAG3) and with creatinine-based methods in 167 consecutive living kidney donors. Most ET centers use creatinine-clearance (64%) to measure total renal function and radioistopic methods (82%) to assess split renal function.

Contrast-enhanced spectral mammography versus MRI: Initial results in the detection of breast cancer and assessment of tumour size.

Objectives: To compare mammography (MG), contrast-enhanced spectral mammography (CESM), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the detection and size estimation of histologically proven breast cancers using postoperative histology as the gold standard.

Methods: After ethical approval, 80 women with newly diagnosed breast cancer underwent MG, CESM, and MRI examinations. CESM was reviewed by an independent experienced radiologist, and the maximum dimension of suspicious lesions was measured.

Impact of magnification views on the characterization of microcalcifications in digital mammography.

Purpose: To evaluate the additional benefit of true geometric (air-gap) magnification views for the characterization of microcalcifications in digital mammography.

Materials And Methods: After ethical approval, we retrospectively reviewed patient records to identify 100 patients with suspicious microcalcifications (35 malignant, 65 benign) who had a standard digital mammography and an additional digital magnification view in the same projection within three months. All images were obtained using an amorphous silicon-based full-field digital system (Senographe 2000 D, GE Healthcare, Chalfont St.

Volumetric breast density assessment: reproducibility in serial examinations and comparison with visual assessment.

Background And Purpose: Mammographic breast density is the strongest known marker of breast cancer risk. Visual breast density assessment is subject to significant intra- and inter-rater variability. The aim of the present study was to test the reproducibility of automatic breast density assessment and to compare the results to the visual assessment.

Volumetric breast composition analysis: reproducibility of breast percent density and fibroglandular tissue volume measurements in serial mammograms.

Background: Volumetric breast composition analysis represents a useful tool for assessing changes in breast composition over time. However, no data exist on the reproducibility of this method in serial mammograms.

Purpose: To assess the reproducibility of two volumetric breast composition parameters, breast percent density (PD) and fibroglandular tissue volume (FTV), in consecutive mammograms.

Assessment of fatty degeneration of the gluteal muscles in patients with THA using MRI: reliability and accuracy of the Goutallier and quartile classification systems.

The purpose of this study was to quantify the performance of the Goutallier classification for assessing fatty degeneration of the gluteus muscles from magnetic resonance (MR) images and to compare its performance to a newly proposed system. Eighty-four hips with clinical signs of gluteal insufficiency and 50 hips from asymptomatic controls were analyzed using a standard classification system (Goutallier) and a new scoring system (Quartile). Interobserver reliability and intraobserver repeatability were determined, and accuracy was assessed by comparing readers' scores with quantitative estimates of the proportion of intramuscular fat based on MR signal intensities (gold standard).

MRI of the breast as part of the assessment in population-based mammography screening.

Purpose: To evaluate the indications and impact of MRI of the breast as an assessment modality in population-based mammography screening.

Materials And Methods: 135 consecutive contrast-enhanced MRI exams of the breast, which were performed between April 2007 and October 2012 as part of the assessment at one mammography screening unit before issuance of a final management recommendation (e. g.

Pre-operative assessment of living renal transplant donors with state-of-the-art imaging modalities: computed tomography angiography versus magnetic resonance angiography in 118 patients.

Purpose: To compare current technology multislice computed tomography angiography (CTA) with magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) in the pre-operative evaluation of vascular anatomy of living renal transplant donors.

Methods And Materials: Two hundred and thirty-six kidneys were included in the CTA and MRA analysis. Renal vasculature was evaluated independently by two readers in each modality with a delay of 4 weeks between reading sessions.

Factors affecting the rate of false positive marks in CAD in full-field digital mammography.

Objective: To assess the effect of breast density, fibroglandular tissue volume, and breast volume on the rate of false-positive marks of a computer-assisted detection software in digital mammography.

Materials And Methods: 222 patients with normal digital mammograms and a minimum follow-up of 22 months were retrospectively identified. MLO and CC views were analyzed using a CAD software with three operating points ('specific', 'balanced', 'sensitive').

Intraoperative specimen radiography in patients with nonpalpable malignant breast lesions.

Purpose: Specimen mammography of nonpalpable wire-localized breast lesions is the standard in breast-conserving surgery. The aim of this study was to evaluate the reliability of intraoperative 2-view specimen mammography in different cancer types.

Materials And Methods: After ethics approval, 3 readers retrospectively evaluated margins on 266 2-view specimen radiographs.

Diagnostic performance of a Near-Infrared Breast Imaging system as adjunct to mammography versus X-ray mammography alone.

Objectives: Radiologist reader performance for breast cancer detection using mammography plus Near-Infrared Breast Imaging (NIBI) was compared with mammography alone.

Methods: Two hundred seventy-six consecutive patients with suspected breast lesions underwent both mammography and NIBI. Four blinded radiologists independently first reviewed the mammograms alone.

Evaluation of tomosynthesis elastography in a breast-mimicking phantom.

Objective: To evaluate whether measurement of strain under static compression in tomosynthesis of a breast-mimicking phantom can be used to distinguish tumor-simulating lesions of different elasticities and to compare the results to values predicted by rheometric analysis as well as results of ultrasound elastography.

Materials And Methods: We prepared three soft breast-mimicking phantoms containing simulated tumors of different elasticities. The phantoms were imaged using a wide angle tomosynthesis system with increasing compression settings ranging from 0 N to 105 N in steps of 15 N.

Development of low-dose photon-counting contrast-enhanced tomosynthesis with spectral imaging.

Purpose: To demonstrate the feasibility of low-dose photon-counting tomosynthesis in combination with a contrast agent (contrast material-enhanced tomographic mammography) for the differentiation of breast cancer.

Materials And Methods: All studies were approved by the institutional review board, and all patients provided written informed consent. A phantom model with wells of iodinated contrast material (3 mg of iodine per milliliter) 1, 2, 5, 10, and 15 mm in diameter was assessed.

Breast cancer: early- and late-fluorescence near-infrared imaging with indocyanine green--a preliminary study.

Purpose: To assess early- and late-fluorescence near-infrared imaging, corresponding to the vascular (early-fluorescence) and extravascular (late-fluorescence) phases of indocyanine green (ICG) enhancement, for breast cancer detection and benign versus malignant breast lesion differentiation.

Materials And Methods: The study was approved by the ethical review board; all participants provided written informed consent. Twenty women with 21 breast lesions were examined with near-infrared imaging before, during, and after intravenous injection of ICG.

Diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (DISH): relation to vertebral fractures and bone density.

Unlabelled: Radiographs and spinal bone mineral density (BMD) were evaluated from 342 elderly men regarding possible effects of diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (DISH) on vertebral fractures and densitometry measurements. Prevalent vertebral fractures were more frequent among men with DISH compared to men with no DISH even after fracture prevalence was adjusted for BMD. Paravertebral calcifications should be considered in patients with DISH when interpreting BMD measurements because both dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) and quantitative CT (QCT) densitometry may not be reliable.

Intra-individual comparison of average glandular dose of two digital mammography units using different anode/filter combinations.

Rationale And Objectives: The aim of this study was to compare average glandular dose (AGD) in two full-field digital mammography units using different anode/filter combinations.

Materials And Methods: Mammographies of 50 consecutive patients on a mammography system using a tungsten/rhodium (W/Rh) anode/filter combination were retrospectively compared to prior examinations on a different mammography unit using combinations of Molybdenum (Mo) and Rhodium (Rh). To exclude effects of increasing patient age, two prior examinations within 5 years were used.

320-slice CT neuroimaging: initial clinical experience and image quality evaluation.

The aim of this study was to report initial clinical experience with a 320-slice CT scanner and to perform an image quality evaluation. 26 patients with presumptive cerebrovascular pathology underwent 320-slice CT. Single-rotation CT of the head, incremental CT angiography (three-dimensional (3D) CTA) as well as four-dimensional whole-brain CTA (4D CTA) and whole-brain CT perfusion (CTP) were performed and the resulting images were assessed for quality and compared with those obtained with 64-slice CT protocols.