Clustered Breast Microcalcifications: Evaluation by Dynamic Contrast-enhanced Subtraction MRI

Objective: Our goal was to evaluate dynamic contrast-enhanced subtraction MRI in the diagnosis of isolated clustered calcifications of the breast.

Materials And Methods: One hundred seventy-two patients underwent surgical biopsy for isolated clustered breast calcifications. Their mammograms showed round (n = 88) or linear/irregular (n = 84) microcalcifications. All patients had a preoperative Gd-DOTA-enhanced subtraction dynamic study. Any early contrast enhancement in the breast parenchyma concomitant with early enhancement of normal vessels was considered positive.

Results: Fifty-eight in situ carcinomas, 22 invasive carcinomas, and 92 benign lesions were found at histological analysis. Dynamic MR sequences showed early contrast enhancement in 76 of 80 malignant lesions (sensitivity 95%) and in 45 of 92 benign lesions (specificity 51%). Two invasive and two intraductal carcinomas did not show early contrast enhancement. Three independent observers agreed in rating early contrast enhancement in 143 of 172 lesions.

Conclusion: Poor specificity limits the diagnostic accuracy of dynamic contrast-enhanced subtraction MRI in distinguishing benign from malignant microcalcifications on mammography.