Evaluation of suspicious nipple discharge by magnetic resonance mammography based on breast imaging reporting and data system magnetic resonance imaging descriptors.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the findings of magnetic resonance mammography for suspicious nipple discharge based on breast imaging-reporting and data system magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) descriptors and establish any correlations with the histopathologic diagnoses.

METHODS

Forty-seven patients with suspicious nipple discharge underwent MRI using a 1.5-T system. Images were evaluated for a signal of abnormal discharge, related abnormal enhancement according to the breast imaging-reporting and data system MRI descriptors, and the presence of clustered ring enhancement and were compared with the histopathologic diagnoses established in 39 lesions.

RESULTS

The most common finding in patients with suspicious nipple discharge was non-masslike enhancement. Seventeen malignant and 22 benign lesions were detected. The most frequent findings in the malignant lesions were "segmental" (59%), "heterogeneous" (57%), and plateau pattern (40%). Clustered ring enhancement was found in 60% of the enhanced malignant lesions (P = 0.002). The combination of segmental distribution and clustered ring enhancement showed a significant association with malignant lesions (P = 0.004).

CONCLUSIONS

Magnetic resonance imaging provides clinically useful information in patients with suspicious nipple discharge.