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Original scientific paper

https://doi.org/10.5671/ca.45.2.9

Imaging Features of Triple Negative Breast Cancers – Mammography, Ultrasound and Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Gordana Ivanac ; University Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital Dubrava, Zagreb, Croatia
Martina Džoić Dominković ; Radiology Department Tauernklinikum, Zell am See, Austria
Kristina Bojanić orcid id orcid.org/0000-0003-4473-5706 ; Department of Radiology, Health Center Osijek-Baranja County, Osijek, Croatia
Tomislav Kelava ; Department of Physiology and Immunology, University of Zagreb School of Medicine and Laboratory for Molecular Immunology, Zagreb, Croatia
Ivo Dumić-Čule ; Department of Nursing, University North, Varaždin, Croatia
Silvija Canecki-Varžić ; Faculty of Medicine Osijek, J. J. Strossmayer University of Osijek, Osijek, Croatia
Martina Smolić ; Faculty of Medicine Osijek, J. J. Strossmayer University of Osijek, Osijek, Croatia
Aleksandar Včev orcid id orcid.org/0000-0003-0512-462X ; Faculty of Dental Medicine and Health Osijek, J. J. Strossmayer University of Osijek, Osijek, Croatia
Robert Smolić ; Faculty of Dental Medicine and Health Osijek, J. J. Strossmayer University of Osijek, Osijek, Croatia
Boris Brkljačić ; University Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital Dubrava, Zagreb, Croatia


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Abstract

Breast cancer (BC) is a highly heterogeneous disease. Aim was to evaluate imaging features of triple negative breast cancers (TNBC) in comparison to non-TNBC. We reviewed data of 30 patients who had been diagnosed as having TNBC and 37 patients with non-TNBC (control group) using criteria described for mammography (MMG), ultrasound (US) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in Breast Imaging-Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) lexicon for image interpretation. Age of patients, size of tumor, multifocality, histological type, tumor grade and status of lymph nodes were reviewed. TNBC were more often histological grade 3 and had significantly more positive lymph nodes at the time of diagnosis on pathology reports. On MMG, US and MRI TNBC mostly appeared as regularly shaped masses. On US as hypoechogenic masses with no posterior acoustic features and on MRI as masses with rim type of enhancement, fast wash-in and plateau type of curves. Most frequent category reported after MMG and US was BI RADS 4, and after MRI BI RADS 5. In conclusion, our study confirmed higher histological grade of TNBC, as well as more frequent lymph node involvement in comparation to the non-TNBC. TNBC showed tendency to affect younger women and to be larger than non-TNBC. Although, they most often presented as a mass on mammography and sonography, in a significant number of cases they remained miscategorized, due to the benign imaging features. All cases are recognized on MRI where they appear as rim enhancing masses.

Keywords

triple negative breast cancers, mammography, ultrasound, magnetic resonance imaging

Hrčak ID:

266678

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/266678

Publication date:

8.6.2021.

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