Incidentally Detected Enhancing Breast Lesions on Chest Computed Tomography.
- Author:
Wen Chiung LIN
1
;
Hsian He HSU
;
Chao Shiang LI
;
Jyh Cherng YU
;
Giu Cheng HSU
;
Cheng Ping YU
;
Tsun Hou CHANG
;
Guo Shu HUANG
Author Information
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords: Breast; Chest; Computed tomography (CT); Incidental breast lesions
- MeSH: Aged; Breast Diseases/radiography; Breast Neoplasms/*radiography/secondary; *Contrast Media; Female; Humans; *Incidental Findings; Iohexol/*analogs & derivatives/diagnostic use; Middle Aged; *Radiography, Thoracic; *Tomography, X-Ray Computed
- From:Korean Journal of Radiology 2011;12(1):44-51
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
- Abstract: OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the nature and imaging appearance of incidental enhancing breast lesions detected on a routine contrast-enhanced chest CT. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-three patients with incidental enhancing breast lesions on contrast-enhanced chest CT were retrospectively reviewed. The breast lesions were reviewed by unenhanced and enhanced CT, and evaluated by observing the shapes, margins, enhancement patterns and backgrounds of breast lesions. A histopathologic diagnosis or long-term follow-up served as reference standard. RESULTS: Sixteen (70%) patients had malignant breast lesions and seven (30%) had benign lesions. In 10 patients, the breast lesions were exclusively detected on contrast-enhanced CT. Using unenhanced CT, breast lesions with fibroglandular backgrounds were prone to be obscured (p < 0.001). Incidental primary breast cancer showed an non-significant trend of a higher percentage irregular margin (p = 0.056). All of the four incidental breast lesions with non-mass-like enhancement were proven to be malignant. CONCLUSION: Routine contrast-enhanced chest CT can reveal sufficient details to allow for the detection of unsuspected breast lesions, in which some cases may be proven as malignant. An irregular margin of incidental enhancing breast lesion can be considered a suggestive sign of malignancy.
