Korean Journal of Radiology

The Korean Society of Radiology (대한영상의학회)
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Incidentally Detected Enhancing Breast Lesions on Chest Computed Tomography

  • Lin, Wen-Chiung (Department of Radiology, Tri-Service General Hospital and National Defense Medical Center) ;
  • Hsu, Hsian-He (Department of Radiology, Tri-Service General Hospital and National Defense Medical Center) ;
  • Li, Chao-Shiang (Department of Radiology, Renai Branch, Taipei City Hospital) ;
  • Yu, Jyh-Cherng (Department of Surgery, Tri-Service General Hospital and National Defense Medical Center) ;
  • Hsu, Giu-Cheng (Department of Radiology, Tri-Service General Hospital and National Defense Medical Center) ;
  • Yu, Cheng-Ping (Department of Pathology, Tri-Service General Hospital and National Defense Medical Center) ;
  • Chang, Tsun-Hou (Department of Radiology, Tri-Service General Hospital and National Defense Medical Center) ;
  • Huang, Guo-Shu (Department of Radiology, Tri-Service General Hospital and National Defense Medical Center)
  • Published : 2011.02.01
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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 fi broglandular backgrounds were prone to be obscured (p < 0.001). Incidental primary breast cancer showed an non-signifi cant 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 suffi cient 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.

Keywords

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