Imaging Features of Mucinous Breast Carcinoma.
10.13104/jksmrm.2010.14.1.21
- Author:
Hye Jung HAN
1
;
Sung Hun KIM
;
Eun Suk CHA
;
Hyun Sook KIM
;
Bong Joo KANG
;
Jae Jung CHOI
;
Jee Hye LEE
;
Ah Won LEE
Author Information
1. Department of Radiology, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Korea. rad-ksh@catholic.ac.kr
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
Adenocarcinoma, mucinous;
Breast neoplasms;
Mammography;
Ultrasonography;
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
- MeSH:
Adenocarcinoma, Mucinous;
Breast;
Breast Neoplasms;
Humans;
Mammography;
Mucins;
Retrospective Studies
- From:Journal of the Korean Society of Magnetic Resonance in Medicine
2010;14(1):21-30
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
PURPOSE: To examine the imaging findings of mucinous breast carcinoma and to evaluate the difference in these findings based on the histopathologic grade. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the imaging features according to BI-RADS in 29 patients with surgically proven mucinous carcinoma. The histopathologic grade was classified as well-differentiated, moderately-differentiated and poorly-differentiated. Based on these criteria, the differences in imaging findings were statistically analyzed. RESULTS: Mammography was available in 20 cases, which contained 17 mass lesions (85%) and 3 cases of normal findings. On ultrasonography (27 cases), mucinous carcinoma was observed as a mass with an oval shape (59.3%), a microlobulated margin (55.6%) or an inhomogeneous isoechogenicity (74.1%). On MRI (21 cases), mucinous carcinoma was commonly observed to have a lobular shape (76%), smooth margin (86%) or heterogeneous contrast-enhancement (61.9%). On the kinetic curve, there was a delayed wash-out pattern (52.3%). There were no significant differences in the imaging findings for each histopathologic grade except that a well-differentiated tumor had an abrupt interface. CONCLUSION: A well-differentiated mucinous carcinoma tended to have an abrupt interface on ultrasonography, as compared with the moderately-differentiated one. Mucinous carcinoma showed a heterogeneous enhancement and a delayed washout kinetic curve pattern on dynamic MRI.