US correlation for MRI-detected breast lesions in women with familial risk of breast cancer.

AIM: To examine the value of US correlation for MRI-detected breast lesions in women with familial risk of breast cancer.

METHODS

From an initial dataset of 245 women with positive family history who had breast cancer surveillance involving mammography or MRI between November 1994 and February 2001, 179 subjects with follow-up data were selected. A total of 43 women with 48 MRI-detected lesions underwent further assessment with US. Histopathological correlation was available from 38 breast biopsies performed for 33 women.

RESULTS

Sonographic correlates were identified in 32 (66.7%) of the 48 MRI-detected lesions, with cancer present in 11 (34.4%) of these. This compares with 1 (6.3%) cancer found in the 16 lesions without sonographic correlates. Of the 12 malignant lesions, 11 (91.7%) had sonographic correlates whereas 21 (58.3%) of the 36 benign lesions had sonographic correlates. In all 74% of breast biopsies were performed under US guidance compared with 8% under MRI guidance. The proportion of MRI- and US-correlated benign and malignant lesions undergoing US-guided biopsy were 85.7% and 90.9%, respectively.

CONCLUSION

The probability of cancer was significantly higher in MRI-detected breast lesions with sonographic correlates compared with those without such correlation. The advantage of convenient biopsy under US guidance as opposed to MRI guidance highlights the value of sonographic assessment of MRI-detected breast lesions.