Computed tomography of the breast cancer

ABSTRACT

The indication of CT for the breast lesions are 1) Unusually extensive or small breast caused technicaldifficulties in performing mammograms. 2) Questionable mammographic findings, especially in dense proliferativebreast parenchyme, 3) Microcancer. 4) Suspicious regional lymph node enlargement of invasion of the chest wall bybreast cancer. The diagnosis of breast CT in breast cancer is based on pathologic anatomic change andcharacteristic increase of mean CT No. of lesion following contrast enhancement. Authors analysed CT of the 34patients who were clinically suspected breast cancer, and compared with mammography. The results are as follows1. Pathological diagnosis of 34 cases were 27 cases of breast cancer, 4 cases of fibrocystic disease, 2 cases offibroadenoma, and 1 case of intraductal pupilloma. The diagnostic accuracy of CT in 27 breast cancer was 93%(25cases) and mammography 71%(19 cases). 2. Corect diagnosis of CT in 7 benign breast disease is in 5 cases andmammography in 5 cases. 3. The most importment finding of CT in breast cancer is characteristic increase of CT No.of lesion following contrast enhancement (200ml, 65%) over average 50HU in 19 cases of 27 breast cancers, 30-50HUin a 6 cases, 20-30HU in 2 cases with tumor necrosis. 4. Compared with mammography, other more valuable CTfindings of breast cancer are axillary lymph node enlargement and adjacentic pectoral muscle invasion. 5. Inconclusion, Breast CT is considered as a valuable diagnostic tool in evaluation of breast cancer, but not of benign breast disease.