Skip to main content

Advertisement

Log in

Computed tomography in suspected local breast cancer recurrence

  • CLINICAL TRIAL
  • Published:
Breast Cancer Research and Treatment Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this prospective study was to test computed tomography (CT) in the evaluation of local breast cancer recurrence.

Materials and methods

Our study population included 103 women referred for mamma CT examination for reasons of suspicious findings in a conservatively treated breast. In these patients, both clinical and conventional imaging studies (mammography, ultrasonography) features of local recurrences were non specific or suspicious. The patients underwent breast CT before and 90 s after intra-venous contrast medium administration. Criterion for cancer recurrence was detection of a lesion with an enhancement of 20 UH or more. The final diagnosis was based on operative histopathological findings or follow-up for over two years.

Results

Local recurrence was confirmed on histology in 52 patients. CT identified 47 breast recurrent cancers. False-positive contrast enhancement was seen in five patients. CT showed 90% sensitivity, 90% specificity and 90% accuracy.

Conclusion

Although mamma CT examination proved to have a high diagnostic efficacy in evaluating breast cancer recurrence, routine computed tomography is unnecessary for most patients.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Abbreviations

CT:

Computed tomography

MRI :

Magnetic resonance imaging

US :

Ultrasound

DCIS :

Ductal carcinoma in situ

FNAB :

Fine needle aspiration biopsy

References

  1. Stomper PC, Recht A, Beremberg AL, Jochelson MS, Harris JR (1987) Mammographic detection of recurrent cancer in the irradiated breast. Am J Radiol 148:39–43

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Dershaw DD, Mc Cormick B, Osborne MP (1992) Detection of local recurrence after conservative therapy for breast carcinoma. Cancer 70:493–496

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Orel SG, Troupin RH, Patterson EA, Fowble BL (1992) Breast cancer recurrence after lumpectomy and irradiation: role of mammography in detection. Radiology 183:201–206

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Winehouse J, Douek M, Holz K, Madjar H, Gillams A, Lees W, Baum M (1999) Contrast-enhanced colour Doppler ultrasonography in suspected breast cancer recurrence. British J Surgery 86:1198–1201

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Hagay C, Cherel PJP, De Maulmont CE, Plantet MM, Gilles R, Floiras JL, Garbay JR, Pallud CM (1996) Contrast-enhanced CT: Value for diagnosing local breast recurrence after conservative treatment. Radiology 200:631–638

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Belli P, Costantini M, Romani M, Marano P, Pastore G (2002) Magnetic resonance imaging in breast cancer recurrence. Breast Cancer Res Treatment 73(3):223–235

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Bonifacino A, Ranieri E, Tella S, Vecchione A (1998) Ultrasonography of local recurrent breast cancer. JEMU 19:81–85

    Google Scholar 

  8. Hagay C, Ouhion O, Cherel P, De Maulmont C, Plantet MM, Boudinet A, Le Doussal V (1997) Helical CT of breast diseases. La tomodensitometrie helicoïdale en pathologie mammaire. Le sein 7(3):142–147

    Google Scholar 

  9. Inoue M, Sano T, Watai R, Ashikaga r, Ueda K, Watatani M, Nishimura Y (2003) Dynamic multidetector CT of breast tumors: diagnostic features and comparison with conventional techniques. Am J Radiol 181(3):679–686

    Google Scholar 

  10. Chen C, Orel SG, Harris EER, Hwang WT, Solin LJ (2003) relation between the method of detection of initial breast carcinoma and the method of detection of subsequent ipsilateral local recurrence and contralateral breast carcinoma. Cancer 98(8):1596–1602

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Voogd AC, Van Tienhoven G, Peterse HL, Crommelin MA, Rutgers EJ, van de Velde CJ, van Geel BN, Slot A, Rodrigus PT, Jobsen JJ, von Meyenfeldt MF, Coebergh JW (1999) Local recurrence after breast conservation therapy for early stage breast carcinoma detection, treatment, and outcome in 266 patients. Cancer 85:437–446

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Fowble B, Solin LJ, Schultz DJ, Rubenstein DJ, Goodman RL (1990) Breast recurrence following conservative surgery and radiation: patterns of failure, prognosis, and pathologic findings from mastectomy specimens with implications for treatment. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 19:833–842

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Hassell PR, Olivotto IA, Mueller HA, Kingston GW, Basco VE (1990) Early breast cancer: detection of recurrence after conservative surgery and radiation therapy. Radiology 176:731–735

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Giess CS, Keating DM, Osborne MP, Rosemblatt R (1999) Local tumor recurrence following breast conservation therapy: correlation of histopathologic findings with detection method and mammographic findings. Radiology 212:829–835

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Kopans DB (1999) Breast-cancer screening with ultrasonography. Lancet 354:2096

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Ciatto S, Ctarzi S, Morrone D, Rosselli Del Turco M (1993) Fine-needle aspiration cytology of nonpalpable breast lesions: US versus stereotaxic guidance. Radiology 188:195–198

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Chang CHJ, Sibala JL, Fritz SL, Gallagher JH, Dwyer SJ, Templeton AW (1980) Computed tomography in detection and diagnosis of breast cancer. Cancer 46:939–946

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Muller JWT, Van Waes PFGM, Koehler PR (1983) Computed tomography of breast lesions: comparison with X-ray mammography. J Comput Assist Tomogr 7(4):650–654

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Sardanelli F, Calabrese M, Zandrino F, Melani E, Parodi RC, Imperiale A, Massa T, Parodi G, Canavese G (1998) Dynamic helical CT of breast tumors. J Comput Assist Tomogr 22:398–407

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Akashi-Tanaka S, Fukutomi T, Miyakawa K, Uchiyama N, Tsuda Hitoshi (1998) Diagnostic value of contrast-enhanced computed tomography for diagnosing the intra-ductal component of breast cancer. Breast Cancer Res Treat 49:79–86

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Heywang-köbrunner SH, Viehweg P, Heinig A, Küchler Ch (1997) Contrast-enhanced MRI of the breast: accuracy, value, controversies, solutions. Eur J Radiol 24:94–108

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Friedrich M (1998) MRI of the breast: State of the art. Eur Radiol 8:707–725

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Muntaz H, Davidson T, Hall-Graggs MA, Payley M, Walmsley K, Cowley G, Taylor I (1997) Comparison of magnetic resonance imaging and conventional triple assessment in locally recurrent breast cancer. British J Surgery 84:1147–1151

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Kolb TM, Lichy J., Newhouse JH (1998) Occult cancer in women with dense breasts; detection with screening US-diagnostic yeld and tumor caracteristic. Radiology 207:191–199

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to F. Ternier.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Ternier, F., Houvenaeghel, G., Lecrivain, F. et al. Computed tomography in suspected local breast cancer recurrence. Breast Cancer Res Treat 100, 247–254 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10549-006-9218-8

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10549-006-9218-8

Keywords

Navigation