Evaluation of Malignant Breast Lesions Using High-resolution Readout-segmented Diffusion-weighted Echo-planar Imaging: Comparison with Pathology
Ayami Ohno Kishimoto, Masako Kataoka, Mami Iima, Maya Honda, Kanae K. Miyake, Akane Ohashi, Rie Ota, Tatsuki R. Kataoka, Takaki Sakurai, Masakazu Toi, Kaori Togashi
Abstract
PURPOSE: We aimed to investigate the performance of high resolution-diffusion-weighted imaging (HR-DWI) using readout-segmented echo-planar imaging in visualizing malignant breast lesions and evaluating their extent, using pathology as a reference. METHODS: This retrospective study included patients who underwent HR-DWI with surgically confirmed malignant breast lesions. Two radiologists blinded to the final diagnosis evaluated HR-DWI independently and identified the lesions, measuring their maximum diameters. Another radiologist confirmed if those lesions were identical to the pathology. The maximum diameters of the lesions between HR-DWI and pathology were compared, and their correlations were calculated using Spearman's correlation coefficient. Apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values of the lesions were measured. RESULTS: /s, respectively. CONCLUSION: Using HR-DWI, malignant mass lesions were depicted with excellent agreement with the pathological evaluation. Approximately half of the non-mass lesions could not be identified, suggesting a current limitation of HR-DWI.