Breast MRI: guidelines from the European Society of Breast Imaging

The aim of breast MRI is to obtain a reliable evaluation of any lesion within the breast. It is currently always used as an adjunct to the standard diagnostic procedures of the breast, i.e., clinical examination, mammography and ultrasound. Whereas the sensitivity of breast MRI is usually very high, specificity—as in all breast imaging modalities—depends on many factors such as reader expertise, use of adequate techniques and composition of the patient cohorts. Since breast MRI will always yield MR-only visible questionable lesions that require an MR-guided intervention for clarification, MRI should only be offered by institutions that can also offer a MRI-guided breast biopsy or that are in close contact with a site that can perform this type of biopsy for them. Radiologists involved in breast imaging should ensure that they have a thorough knowledge of the MRI techniques that are necessary for breast imaging, that they know how to evaluate a breast MRI using the ACR BI-RADS MRI lexicon, and most important, when to perform breast MRI. This manuscript provides guidelines on the current best practice for the use of breast MRI, and the methods to be used, from the European Society of Breast Imaging (EUSOBI)

Predição de malignidade em pacientes das categorias 4 e 5 BI-RADS™ Malignancy prediction in patients with BI-RADS™ category 4 and 5

Foi realizado estudo retrospectivo, de agosto de 1999 a junho de 2002, que selecionou 6.999 laudos mamográficos consecutivos que seguiram a padronização Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS™). Neste estudo objetivamos uma análise regional de achados mamográficos categorias 4 e 5 BI-RADS, que foram recomendados a estudo histopatológico, avaliando a sensibilidade do método nessas categorias como indicador de malignidade. Foram laudados 43,65% (n = 3.055) como negativos, 47,36% (n = 3.315) como achados mamográficos benignos, 7,47% (n = 523) como achados mamográficos provavelmente benignos, 0,87% (n = 61) como achados mamográficos suspeitos e 0,64% (n = 45) como achados mamográficos altamente suspeitos. Das pacientes das categorias 4 (61 pacientes) e 5 (45 pacientes), todas encaminhadas à biópsia, foram obtidos resultados histopatológicos de 27 da categoria 4 (44,26%) e de 27 da categoria 5 (60%). Das pacientes da categoria 4, obteve-se 55,55% (n = 15) de lesões malignas, e das pacientes da categoria 5, obteve-se 96,29% (n = 26) de lesões malignas. O estudo mostra o alto valor preditivo positivo de malignidade da categoria 5 BI-RADS e a necessidade real de prosseguimento da investigação das mamografias categoria 4 BI-RADS.<br>In a retrospective study, from August 1999 until June 2002, 6,999 consecutive mammograms were analyzed using Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS™) guidelines, with the purpose of a regional analysis of mammographic findings in the categories 4 and 5 BI-RADS, which were all recommended to histopathologic study, evaluating the sensibility of this method in these categories, as an indicator of malignancy. The analysis revealed 43.65% (n = 3,055) of negative findings, 47.36% (n = 3,315) of benign lesions, 7.47% (n = 523) of probably benign lesions, 0.87% (n = 61) of suspicious lesions, and 0.64% (n = 45) of highly suspicious lesions. All the patients fitted in the categories 4 (61 patients) and 5 (45 patients) were referred for biopsy. The histopathologic analysis showed 27 patients in category 4 (44.26%) and 27 patients in category 5 (60%): 55.55% (n = 15) of category 4 patients showed malignant lesions; 96.29% (n = 26) of category 5 patients showed malignant lesions. The study demonstrates the high positive predictive value for malignancy in BI-RADS category 5 and the real need for follow-up investigation in BI-RADS category 4