DYNAMIC HELICAL CT OF BREAST-TUMORS

Purpose: The purpose of our study was to test dynamic helical CT (hCT) in the evaluation of breast tumors. Method: Thirty-six patients with 39 suspected lesions underwent breast hCT before and 1, 3, and 8 min a fter intravenous contrast medium administration, A marked enhancement (greater than or equal to 100%) at 1 or 3 min without increase at 8 mi n was considered as the primary indicator for malignancy. Twenty carci nomas, one metastatic non-Hodgkin lymphoma, six fibroadenomas, and six other benign findings were histologically assessed. Six cases had neg ative fine needle aspiration cytology and at least it 2 year negative follow-up. Results: hCT showed a 100% sensitivity and 83.3% specificit y. Considering carcinomas and fibroadenomas, significant differences w ere found for the percent enhancement at 1 min (p = 0.002) as well as for the density increase or decrease at 3 versus 1 min (p = 0.0035), a t 8 versus 1 min (p = 0.0027), and at 8 versus 3 min (p = 0.0180). Con clusion: hCT proved to have a high diagnostic efficacy in evaluating b reast tumors. Even though it involves some exposure to radiation, it s hould be considered in patients in whom MR is contraindicated.