TITLE:
Is Breast Background Parenchymal Enhancement on MRI Related to BI-RADS Score and Follow-Up Rate?
AUTHORS:
Afsaneh Alikhassi, Hedieh Akbari, Seyedeh Nooshin Miratashi Yazdi, Sona Akbari Kia, Farzin Roozafzai
KEYWORDS:
Breast MRI, Background Parenchymal Enhancement, BI-RADS, Short-Interval Follow-Up, Biopsy
JOURNAL NAME:
Advances in Breast Cancer Research,
Vol.7 No.1,
January
10,
2018
ABSTRACT: Objective: We investigated the correlations between background parenchymal
enhancement (BPE) and MRI interpretations with respect to short-interval
follow-ups and biopsy rates. Methods: All accessible MRI examinations
from 128 women during a limited time period in 2016 were evaluated. A blinded
radiologist visually categorized BPE as minimal, mild, moderate, or marked. A
BI-RADS category was also assigned. We used descriptive statistics to report
the findings and chi-square and Fisher’s exact tests to compare categories. Results: Prevalence of minimal, mild, moderate, and marked BPE was 14.1%, 43.0%, 32.0%,
and 10.9%, respectively. The short-interval follow-up rates were 22.2%, 27.3%,
26.8%, and 7.1% in women with minimal, mild, moderate, and marked BPE,
respectively. BPE was not associated with the short-interval follow-up rate
(p-value = 0.477). Biopsy rates were
22.2%, 27.3%, 22.0%, and 57.1% in women with minimal, mild, moderate, and marked
BPE, respectively. Although there was no significant relationship between
biopsy rates and BPE levels (p-value = 0.095)
in the total population, these two factors were significantly associated in
premenopausal women (p-value = 0.023) and in women of 30 - 39 years (p-value = 0.001). Conclusion: Higher BPE does not correlate with short-interval follow-up
rates, but appears to be related to biopsy rate, thus causing false-positives
and unnecessary biopsy recommendations, particularly in younger, premenopausal
women.