Associated Mammographic Menifestations Of Breast Cancers

ObjectiveThe purpose is to study the mammographic characteristics of breast cancers and improve the diagnostic accuracy of early breast cancers. Materials and MethodsMammography was performed with American LORAD M-IV mammogram machine. Standard mediolateral oblique view and craniocaudal view of bilateral mammary were routinely obtained. An extended craniocaudal view and magnification views were also obtained when necessary. Mammograms of 78 patients with breast cancers and 109 patients with benign breast diseases, verified by surgery and pathology, were studied retrospectively. Eight X-ray features were analyzed: malignant calcification, dilated duct, "funnel" , abnormal vessels, skin thickening, "cow angle" , "tower tip" and axillary adenopathy. The differences between benign and malignant breast diseases were compared by the statistics , and so were the characteristics of benign and malignant calcification.Results1. The breast cancers were characterized with the eight X-ray features. But the benign breast diseases presented much fewer these features and had different manifestations. Among the eight features, malignant calcification, abnormal vessels and skin thickening were the most important manifestations. The other indirect menifestations required combined diagnosis with other methods. The more mammographic manifestations were, the higher possibility of breast cancers.2. Different types of breast cancers had different mammographic manifestations. Invasive duct carcinoma, invasive lobular carcinoma often presented these features. The recognition of other menifestations besides the breast mass helped to improve the diagnosic accuracy of breast cancers.3. The calcification of benign and malignant breast diseases had significant differences. Malignant calcifications presented fairly characteristic mammographic manifestations. Analysis of these characteristics helped to detect occult and early breast cancers. ConclusionsWhen the shape of breast cancer is too vague to be recognized, the associated mammographic manifestations are important for diagnosing early breast cancer.