Breast magnetic resonance imaging as a problem-solving modality?

Mammography is the primary imaging modality for the early detection of breast cancer. Because of the low predictive value of mammography, a large majority of patient referred for biopsy have benign disease. The question is whether magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a diagnostic alternative to biopsy for women with inconclusive findings at mammography or mammographic (Breast Imaging Reporting And Data System (BIRADS) 3 lesions. In this article the breast MRI and indications will be described. An overview will be given of MRI as a problem-solving modality in mammographic BIRADS 3 lesions and inconclusive mammographic findings with and without microcalcifications. The negative predictive value of breast MRI must be sufficiently high to definitively indicate a lack of need for biopsy and thus to be an effective addition to the work-up of mammographic BIRADS 3 lesions or inconclusive findings on mammography. Therefore, breast MRI should only be used for cases with proven diagnostic value.</p

Breast magnetic resonance imaging as a problem-solving modality?

Mammography is the primary imaging modality for the early detection of breast cancer. Because of the low predictive value of mammography, a large majority of patient referred for biopsy have benign disease. The question is whether magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a diagnostic alternative to biopsy for women with inconclusive findings at mammography or mammographic (Breast Imaging Reporting And Data System (BIRADS) 3 lesions. In this article the breast MRI and indications will be described. An overview will be given of MRI as a problem-solving modality in mammographic BIRADS 3 lesions and inconclusive mammographic findings with and without microcalcifications. The negative predictive value of breast MRI must be sufficiently high to definitively indicate a lack of need for biopsy and thus to be an effective addition to the work-up of mammographic BIRADS 3 lesions or inconclusive findings on mammography. Therefore, breast MRI should only be used for cases with proven diagnostic value.</p

Analytical Approach for Optimal Deployment of Drone Base Stations in Cellular Networks

Reliable mobile communications is of critical importance, and should be maintained even in case of extremely crowded events or emergency scenarios. In such scenarios the deployment of drone-mounted base stations offers an agile and cost-efficient way to sustain coverage and/or provide capacity relief. In this paper we develop an analytical method to estimate the blocking and coverage probabilities of drone-assisted cellular networks using information that is readily available from network planning tools. We demonstrate how this method can be used to determine the minimum required number of drones and their corresponding locations for a given target performance level.</p

Breast magnetic resonance imaging as a problem-solving modality in mammographic BI-RADS 3 lesions

The probability of a mammographic Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) 3 lesion being cancer is considered to be less than 2%. Therefore, the work-up of a mammographic BI-RADS 3 lesion should be biopsy or follow-up mammography after 6 months. However, most patients referred for biopsy have benign disease. Although the negative predictive value (NPV) of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is highest of all imaging techniques, it is not yet common practice to use breast MRI as a problem-solving modality to exclude patients for further diagnostic work-up. Therefore, in this meta-analysis the usefulness of breast MRI as a problem-solving modality in mammographic BI-RADS 3 lesions is investigated. After a systematic search only 5 out of 61 studies met the inclusion criteria. The NPV in 2 of those studies was reported to be 100%. It was concluded that MRI can be used as an adjunctive tool to mammographic BI-RADS 3 findings to exclude patients for further diagnostic work-up. The other 3 studies assessed the accuracy of MRI in mammographic BI-RADS 3 microcalcifications. These studies reported an NPV of MRI between 76% and 97%. Therefore, MRI cannot be implemented as a diagnostic tool to evaluate mammographic microcalcifications at this time. The first solid data indicate that breast MRI might be useful as a problem-solving modality to exclude patients with non-calcified mammographic BI-RADS 3 lesions for further diagnostic work-up. However, further research is needed to verify these results.</p

Breast magnetic resonance imaging as a problem-solving modality in mammographic BI-RADS 3 lesions

The probability of a mammographic Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) 3 lesion being cancer is considered to be less than 2%. Therefore, the work-up of a mammographic BI-RADS 3 lesion should be biopsy or follow-up mammography after 6 months. However, most patients referred for biopsy have benign disease. Although the negative predictive value (NPV) of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is highest of all imaging techniques, it is not yet common practice to use breast MRI as a problem-solving modality to exclude patients for further diagnostic work-up. Therefore, in this meta-analysis the usefulness of breast MRI as a problem-solving modality in mammographic BI-RADS 3 lesions is investigated. After a systematic search only 5 out of 61 studies met the inclusion criteria. The NPV in 2 of those studies was reported to be 100%. It was concluded that MRI can be used as an adjunctive tool to mammographic BI-RADS 3 findings to exclude patients for further diagnostic work-up. The other 3 studies assessed the accuracy of MRI in mammographic BI-RADS 3 microcalcifications. These studies reported an NPV of MRI between 76% and 97%. Therefore, MRI cannot be implemented as a diagnostic tool to evaluate mammographic microcalcifications at this time. The first solid data indicate that breast MRI might be useful as a problem-solving modality to exclude patients with non-calcified mammographic BI-RADS 3 lesions for further diagnostic work-up. However, further research is needed to verify these results.</p

Cost-effectiveness of stereotactic large-core needle biopsy for nonpalpable breast lesions compared to open-breast biopsy

This paper demonstrates that the introduction of large-core needle biopsy (LCNB) replacing needle-localised breast biopsy (NLBB) for nonpalpable (screen-detected) breast lesions could result in substantial cost savings at the expense of a possible slight increase in breast cancer mortality. The cost-effectiveness of LCNB and NLBB was estimated using a microsimulation model. The sensitivity of LCNB (0.97) and resource use and costs of LCNB and NLBB were derived from a multicentre consecutive cohort study among 973 women who consented in getting LCNB and NLBB, if LCNB was negative. Sensitivity analyses were performed. Replacing NLBB with LCNB would result in approximately six more breast cancer deaths per year (in a target population of 2.1 million women), or in 1000 extra life-years lost from breast cancer (effect over 100 years). The total costs of management of breast cancer (3% discounted) are estimated at £4676 million with NLBB; introducing LCNB would save £13 million. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of continued NLBB vs LCNB would be £12 482 per additional life-year gained (3% discounted); incremental costs range from £-21 687 (low threshold for breast biopsy) to £74 378 (high sensitivity of LCNB)

Diagnostic performance of breast tumor tissue selection in diffusion weighted imaging:A systematic review and meta-analysis

Background Several methods for tumor delineation are used in literature on breast diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) to measure the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC). However, in the process of reaching consensus on breast DWI scanning protocol, image analysis and interpretation, still no standardized optimal breast tumor tissue selection (BTTS) method exists. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to assess the impact of BTTS methods on ADC in the discrimination of benign from malignant breast lesions in DWI in terms of sensitivity, specificity and area under the curve (AUC). Methods and findings In this systematic review and meta-analysis, adhering to the PRISMA statement, 61 studies, with 65 study subsets, in females with benign or malignant primary breast lesions (6291 lesions) were assessed. Studies on DWI, quantified by ADC, scanned on 1.5 and 3.0 Tesla and using b-values 0/50 and >= 800 s/mm(2) were included. PubMed and EMBASE were searched for studies up to 23-10-2019 (n = 2897). Data were pooled based on four BTTS methods (by definition of measured region of interest, ROI): BTTS1: whole breast tumor tissue selection, BTTS2: subtracted whole breast tumor tissue selection, BTTS3: circular breast tumor tissue selection and BTTS4: lowest diffusion breast tumor tissue selection. BTTS methods 2 and 3 excluded necrotic, cystic and hemorrhagic areas. Pooled sensitivity, specificity and AUC of the BTTS methods were calculated. Heterogeneity was explored using the inconsistency index (I-2) and considering covariables: field strength, lowest b-value, image of BTTS selection, pre-or post-contrast DWI, slice thickness and ADC threshold. Pooled sensitivity, specificity and AUC were: 0.82 (0.72-0.89), 0.79 (0.65-0.89), 0.88 (0.85-0.90) for BTTS1; 0.91 (0.89-0.93), 0.84 (0.80-0.87), 0.94 (0.91-0.96) for BTTS2; 0.89 (0.86-0.92), 0.90 (0.85-0.93), 0.95 (0.93-0.96) for BTTS3 and 0.90 (0.86-0.93), 0.84 (0.81-0.87), 0.86 (0.82-0.88) for BTTS4, respectively. Significant heterogeneity was found between studies (I-2 = 95). Conclusions None of the breast tissue selection (BTTS) methodologies outperformed in differentiating benign from malignant breast lesions. The high heterogeneity of ADC data acquisition demands further standardization, such as DWI acquisition parameters and tumor tissue selection to substantially increase the reliability of DWI of the breast

Diffusion weighted imaging of the breast:Performance of standardized breast tumor tissue selection methods in clinical decision making

Objectives In breast diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) protocol standardization, it is recently shown that no breast tumor tissue selection (BTTS) method outperformed the others. The purpose of this study is to analyze the feasibility of three fixed-size breast tumor tissue selection (BTTS) methods based on the reproducibility, accuracy and time-measurement in comparison to the largest oval and manual delineation in breast diffusion weighted imaging data. Methods This study is performed with a consecutive dataset of 116 breast lesions (98 malignant) of at least 1.0 cm, scanned in accordance with the EUSOBI breast DWI working group recommendations. Reproducibility of the maximum size manual (BTTS1) and of the maximal size round/oval (BTTS2) methods were compared with three smaller fixed-size circular BTTS methods in the middle of each lesion (BTTS3, 0.12 cm(3) volume) and at lowest apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) (BTTS4, 0.12 cm(3); BTTS5, 0.24 cm(3)). Mean ADC values, intraclass-correlation-coefficients (ICCs), area under the curve (AUC) and measurement times (sec) of the 5 BTTS methods were assessed by two observers. Results Excellent inter- and intra-observer agreement was found for any BTTS (with ICC 0.88-0.92 and 0.92-0.94, respectively). Significant difference in ADCmean between any pair of BTTS methods was shown (p = Conclusion The performance of fixed-size BTTS methods, as a potential tool for clinical decision making, shows equal AUC but shorter ADC measurement time compared to manual or oval whole lesion measurements. The advantage of a fixed size BTTS method is the excellent reproducibility. A central fixed breast tumor tissue volume of 0.12 cm(3) is the most feasible method for use in clinical practice

Особенности деонтологии в сексологической практике

Описаны основные принципы врачебной этики в сексологической практике. Рассмотрены особенности взаимоотношений врача−сексолога и пациента. Подчеркивается, что выполнение врачом деонтологических принципов будет способствовать гармонизации семейно−сексуальных отношений.Basic principles of medical ethics in sexological practice are presented. The peculiarities of mutual relations of the doctor sexologist and the patient are discussed. It is emphasized that adherence of the doctor−sexologist of ethical principles will promote harmonization of family sexual relations