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Keywords = contrast-enhanced mammography

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23 pages, 2088 KB  
Article
Beyond Cancer Detection: An AI Framework for Multidimensional Risk Profiling on Contrast-Enhanced Mammography
by Graziella Di Grezia, Antonio Nazzaro, Elisa Cisternino, Alessandro Galiano, Luca Marinelli, Sara Mercogliano, Vincenzo Cuccurullo and Gianluca Gatta
Diagnostics 2025, 15(21), 2788; https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics15212788 - 4 Nov 2025
Viewed by 543
Abstract
Purpose: The purpose of this study is to assess whether AI-based models improve reproducibility of breast density (BD) and background parenchymal enhancement (BPE) classification and to explore whether contrast-enhanced mammography (CEM) can serve as a proof-of-concept platform for systemic risk surrogates. Materials [...] Read more.
Purpose: The purpose of this study is to assess whether AI-based models improve reproducibility of breast density (BD) and background parenchymal enhancement (BPE) classification and to explore whether contrast-enhanced mammography (CEM) can serve as a proof-of-concept platform for systemic risk surrogates. Materials and Methods: In this retrospective single-center study, 213 women (mean age 58.3 years; range 28–80) underwent CEM in 2022–2023. Histology was obtained when lesions were present (BI-RADS 4/5). Five radiologists independently graded BD and BPE; consensus served as the ground truth. Linear regression and a deep neural network (DNN) were compared with a simple linear baseline. Inter-reader agreement was measured with Fleiss’ κ. External validation was performed on 500 BI-RADS C/D cases from VinDr-Mammo targeted density endpoints. A secondary exploratory analysis tested a multi-output DNN to predict BD/BPE together with bone mineral density and systolic blood pressure surrogates. Results: Baseline inter-reader agreement was κ = 0.68 (BD) and κ = 0.54 (BPE). With AI support, agreement improved to κ = 0.82. Linear regression reduced the prediction error by 26% versus the baseline (MSE 0.641 vs. 0.864), while DNN achieved similar performance (MSE 0.638). AI assistance decreased false positives in C/D by 22% and shortened the reading time by 35% (6.3→4.1 min). Validation confirmed stability (MSE ~0.65; AUC 0.74–0.75). In exploratory analysis, surrogates correlated with DXA (r = 0.82) and sphygmomanometry (r = 0.76). Conclusions: AI significantly improves reproducibility and efficiency of BD/BPE assessments in CEM and supports feasibility of systemic risk profiling. Full article
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48 pages, 2994 KB  
Review
From Innovation to Application: Can Emerging Imaging Techniques Transform Breast Cancer Diagnosis?
by Honda Hsu, Kun-Hua Lee, Riya Karmakar, Arvind Mukundan, Rehan Samirkhan Attar, Ping-Hung Liu and Hsiang-Chen Wang
Diagnostics 2025, 15(21), 2718; https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics15212718 - 27 Oct 2025
Viewed by 678
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Breast cancer (BC) has emerged as a significant threat among female malignancies, resulting in approximately 670,000 fatalities. The capacity to identify BC has advanced over the past two decades because of deep learning (DL), machine learning (ML), and artificial intelligence. The [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Breast cancer (BC) has emerged as a significant threat among female malignancies, resulting in approximately 670,000 fatalities. The capacity to identify BC has advanced over the past two decades because of deep learning (DL), machine learning (ML), and artificial intelligence. The early detection of BC is crucial; yet, conventional diagnostic techniques, including MRI, mammography, and biopsy, are costly, time-intensive, less sensitive, incorrect, and necessitate skilled physicians. This narrative review will examine six novel imaging approaches for BC diagnosis. Methods: Optical coherence tomography (OCT) surpasses existing approaches by providing non-invasive, high-resolution imaging. Raman Spectroscopy (RS) offers detailed chemical and structural insights into cancer tissue that traditional approaches cannot provide. Photoacoustic Imaging (PAI) provides superior optical contrast, exceptional ultrasonic resolution, and profound penetration and visualization capabilities. Hyperspectral Imaging (HSI) acquires spatial and spectral data, facilitating non-invasive tissue classification with superior accuracy compared to grayscale imaging. Contrast-Enhanced Spectral Mammography (CESM) utilizes contrast agents and dual energy to improve the visualization of blood vessels, enhance patient comfort, and surpass standard mammography in sensitivity. Multispectral Imaging (MSI) enhances tissue classification by employing many wavelength bands, resulting in high-dimensional images that surpass the ultrasound approach. The imaging techniques studied in this study are very useful for diagnosing tumors, staging them, and guiding surgery. They are not detrimental to morphological or immunohistochemical analysis, which is the gold standard for diagnosing breast cancer and determining molecular characteristics. Results: These imaging modalities provide enhanced sensitivity, specificity, and diagnostic accuracy. Notwithstanding their considerable potential, the majority of these procedures are not employed in standard clinical practices. Conclusions: Validations, standardization, and large-scale clinical trials are essential for the real-time application of these approaches. The analyzed studies demonstrated that the novel modalities displayed enhanced diagnostic efficacy, with reported sensitivities and specificities often exceeding those of traditional imaging methods. The results indicate that they may assist in early detection and surgical decision-making; however, for widespread adoption, they must be standardized, cost-reduced, and subjected to extensive clinical trials. This study offers a concise summary of each methodology, encompassing the methods and findings, while also addressing the many limits encountered in the imaging techniques and proposing solutions to mitigate these issues for future applications. Full article
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14 pages, 4980 KB  
Article
Multimodal Imaging of Ductal Carcinoma In Situ: A Single-Center Study of 75 Cases
by Fabrizio Urraro, Nicoletta Giordano, Vittorio Patanè, Maria Chiara Brunese, Carlo Varelli, Carolina Russo, Luca Brunese and Salvatore Cappabianca
Med. Sci. 2025, 13(4), 245; https://doi.org/10.3390/medsci13040245 - 27 Oct 2025
Viewed by 367
Abstract
Introduction: Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) is a non-invasive precursor of breast cancer, usually detected on mammography as clustered microcalcifications. Many cases, however, lack calcifications and require complementary imaging. This study aimed to describe the multimodal imaging features of DCIS and evaluate the [...] Read more.
Introduction: Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) is a non-invasive precursor of breast cancer, usually detected on mammography as clustered microcalcifications. Many cases, however, lack calcifications and require complementary imaging. This study aimed to describe the multimodal imaging features of DCIS and evaluate the radiology–pathology correlation. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 75 women (aged 36–52 years) with biopsy-proven DCIS (January 2023–June 2025). All underwent mammography, targeted ultrasound, and dynamic contrast-enhanced 1.5T MRI. Imaging findings were correlated with histopathology, and logistic regression was used to explore predictors of MRI kinetics. Results: Mammography detected microcalcifications in 53.8% of patients, while 46.2% showed no calcifications. Ultrasound frequently revealed non-mass, duct-oriented hypoechoic abnormalities in non-calcified cases. MRI consistently demonstrated non-mass enhancement, with weak or persistent kinetics without washout in 69.2% and washout in 30.8%. A moderate correlation between MRI and histological extent was found (r = 0.62, p < 0.001), with MRI tending to overestimate lesion size. Oral contraceptive use was common (61.5%) but not significantly associated with kinetic pattern or grade. Conclusions: Mammography remains essential for calcified DCIS, whereas MRI enhances detection of non-calcified lesions. Persistent kinetics without washout may represent a typical imaging feature of DCIS. However, moderate radiology–pathology concordance and frequent overestimation highlight the need for careful interpretation. These findings support a multimodal diagnostic approach that can improve detection accuracy and assist in more tailored surgical planning. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Cancer and Cancer-Related Research)
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26 pages, 1154 KB  
Review
AI-Based Characterization of Breast Cancer in Mammography and Tomosynthesis: A Review of Radiomics and Deep Learning for Subtyping, Staging, and Prognosis
by Ana M. Mota
Cancers 2025, 17(20), 3387; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers17203387 - 21 Oct 2025
Viewed by 979
Abstract
Background: Biopsy remains the gold standard for characterizing breast cancer, but it is invasive, costly, and may not fully capture tumor heterogeneity. Advances in artificial intelligence (AI) now allow for the extraction of biological and clinical information from medical images, raising the [...] Read more.
Background: Biopsy remains the gold standard for characterizing breast cancer, but it is invasive, costly, and may not fully capture tumor heterogeneity. Advances in artificial intelligence (AI) now allow for the extraction of biological and clinical information from medical images, raising the possibility of using imaging as a non-invasive alternative. Methods: A semi-systematic review was conducted to identify AI-based approaches applied to mammography (MM) and breast tomosynthesis (BT) for tumor subtyping, staging, and prognosis. A PubMed search retrieved 1091 articles, of which 81 studies met inclusion criteria (63 MM, 18 BT). Studies were analyzed by clinical target, modality, AI pipeline, number of cases, dataset type, and performance metrics (AUC, accuracy, or C-index). Results: Most studies focused on tumor subtyping, particularly receptor status and molecular classification. Contrast-enhanced spectral mammography (CESM) was frequently used in radiomics pipelines, while end-to-end deep learning (DL) approaches were increasingly applied to MM. Deep models achieved strong performance for ER/PR and HER2 status prediction, especially in large datasets. Fewer studies addressed staging or prognosis, but promising results were obtained for axillary lymph node (ALN) metastasis and pathological complete response (pCR). Multimodal and longitudinal approaches—especially those combining MM or BT with MRI or ultrasound—show improved accuracy but remain rare. Public datasets were used in only a minority of studies, limiting reproducibility. Conclusions: AI models can predict key tumor characteristics directly from MM and BT, showing promise as non-invasive tools to complement or even replace biopsy. However, challenges remain in terms of generalizability, external validation, and clinical integration. Future work should prioritize standardized annotations, larger multicentric datasets, and integration of histological or transcriptomic validation to ensure robustness and real-world applicability. Full article
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32 pages, 14159 KB  
Article
Microwave Breast Imaging System Modules, Enhancing Scan Quality and Reliability of Diagnostic Outputs During Clinical Testing
by Giannis Papatrechas, Angie Fasoula, Petros Arvanitis, Luc Duchesne, Alexis Raveneau, Julio Daniel Gil Cano, John O’ Donnell, Sami Abd Elwahab and Michael Kerin
Bioengineering 2025, 12(10), 1079; https://doi.org/10.3390/bioengineering12101079 - 3 Oct 2025
Viewed by 979
Abstract
Microwave Breast Imaging (MWBI) is an emerging imaging modality aiming to detect breast lesions, which are dielectrically contrasted against the background healthy tissue, in the microwave frequency spectrum. MWBI holds potential to outperform X-ray mammography’s low sensitivity in young and dense breasts, thus [...] Read more.
Microwave Breast Imaging (MWBI) is an emerging imaging modality aiming to detect breast lesions, which are dielectrically contrasted against the background healthy tissue, in the microwave frequency spectrum. MWBI holds potential to outperform X-ray mammography’s low sensitivity in young and dense breasts, thus supporting timelier detection of interval cancers, as a supplemental screening or diagnostic imaging method. The specificity of MWBI remains unknown, however, as management of false positives has not been systematically addressed yet. An earlier First-In-Human clinical investigation on 24 symptomatic patients provided proof-of-concept for the Wavelia MWBI sectorized multi-static radar imaging technology, which generates clinically meaningful 3D images of the breast, performs semi-automated detection of breast lesions and extracts diagnostic features to distinguish malignant from benign lesions. This paper focuses on a set of technological upgrades, accessories and data processing modules, designed and implemented in the 2nd generation prototype of Wavelia, to handle the diversity in breast geometry, tissue consistency and deformability, in a larger clinical investigation reporting on the bilateral MWBI scan of 62 patients. The presented add-on modules contribute to enhanced quality of scan and a more valid reference reporting space for the MWBI imaging outputs, with a direct positive impact on overall specificity. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Breast Cancer: From Precision Medicine to Diagnostics)
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11 pages, 1164 KB  
Article
Contrast-Enhanced Mammography-Guided Biopsy in Patients with Extensive Suspicious Microcalcifications
by Yun-Chung Cheung, Wai-Shan Chung, Ya-Chun Tang and Chia-Wei Li
Cancers 2025, 17(18), 3086; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers17183086 - 22 Sep 2025
Viewed by 536
Abstract
Objectives: To investigate the feasibility of contrast-enhanced mammography-guided biopsy (CEM-Bx) to diagnose cancer via targeting the associated enhancements in the patients with extensive suspicious microcalcifications. Methods: All the women with extensive suspicious microcalcifications were mammographically screened. Contrast-enhanced mammography was first examined, [...] Read more.
Objectives: To investigate the feasibility of contrast-enhanced mammography-guided biopsy (CEM-Bx) to diagnose cancer via targeting the associated enhancements in the patients with extensive suspicious microcalcifications. Methods: All the women with extensive suspicious microcalcifications were mammographically screened. Contrast-enhanced mammography was first examined, followed by CEM-Bx if there was any relevant enhancement; otherwise, patients without enhancement were submitted to conventional mammography-guided biopsy (MG-Bx). We recorded and analyzed the histological results, morphologies and distributions of the microcalcifications. The outcomes were also compared to those patients (control group) who did not assess with CEM and received MG-Bx only by the Wilcoxon rank-sum test. Results: Between November 2021 and November 2023, a total of 61 participants participated in the test. A total of 26 women underwent CEM-Bx, and 35 underwent MG-Bx. In total, 19 of the 26 CEM-Bx were diagnosed as cancer, and none by MG-Bx. The cancer diagnostic rates (CDRs) identified by CEM-Bx were 81.8% for regional microcalcifications and 66.7% for segmental or diffuse distributions. The CDR of the test group was higher than the control group, 31.4% to 20%, respectively. Otherwise, the CDR of CEM-Bx was significantly higher than MG-Bx in the control group (73.08% to 20%, p-valve < 0.01). Conclusions: CEM-Bx was a safe and feasible procedure. With identification of the enhanced target, CEM-Bx faithfully performed among the extensive distributed suspicious microcalcifications. Although CEM-Bx improves CDR, larger prospective trials with surgical validation of all lesions are needed before widespread adoption. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Oncological Imaging (2nd Edition))
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9 pages, 871 KB  
Article
Contrast-Enhanced Mammography as a Functional Biomarker in Breast Cancer: Correlation of Enhancement Patterns with Ki-67 and Histological Grade
by Marina Balbino, Manuela Montatore, Federica Masino, Antonietta Ancona, Francesca Anna Carpagnano, Giulia Capuano, Riccardo Guglielmi and Giuseppe Guglielmi
Targets 2025, 3(3), 29; https://doi.org/10.3390/targets3030029 - 17 Sep 2025
Viewed by 850
Abstract
Background: Contrast-Enhanced Spectral Mammography (CESM) combines anatomical and functional imaging, showing promise in breast cancer diagnosis. Despite well-established lesion detection accuracy, few studies have investigated the link between CESM enhancement patterns and tumor aggressiveness biomarkers. Methods: We retrospectively evaluated 100 patients (mean age [...] Read more.
Background: Contrast-Enhanced Spectral Mammography (CESM) combines anatomical and functional imaging, showing promise in breast cancer diagnosis. Despite well-established lesion detection accuracy, few studies have investigated the link between CESM enhancement patterns and tumor aggressiveness biomarkers. Methods: We retrospectively evaluated 100 patients (mean age 59.5 years) undergoing CESM with complete histopathological data. Lesions were categorized by enhancement intensity (high, medium, low) and contrast homogeneity (homogeneous vs. heterogeneous), correlated with Ki-67 index and histological grade. Results: Lesion size measured by CESM closely matched histology (mean 2.16 cm vs. 2.25 cm). Mass-like lesions corresponded mainly to invasive ductal carcinoma, while non-mass patterns aligned with lobular or in situ carcinomas. Enhancement intensity correlated moderately with Ki-67 (Spearman ρ = 0.56, p < 0.001), and contrast heterogeneity showed a weaker but significant correlation with tumor grade (ρ = 0.22, p < 0.05). Conclusions: CESM accurately assesses tumor size and provides functional insight into tumor biology. Enhancement intensity may serve as a non-invasive proliferation marker, while contrast heterogeneity offers additional prognostic data, supporting CESM’s role in personalized breast cancer management. Full article
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21 pages, 2336 KB  
Article
Machine and Deep Learning on Radiomic Features from Contrast-Enhanced Mammography and Dynamic Contrast-Enhanced Magnetic Resonance Imaging for Breast Cancer Characterization
by Roberta Fusco, Vincenza Granata, Teresa Petrosino, Paolo Vallone, Maria Assunta Daniela Iasevoli, Mauro Mattace Raso, Sergio Venanzio Setola, Davide Pupo, Gerardo Ferrara, Annarita Fanizzi, Raffaella Massafra, Miria Lafranceschina, Daniele La Forgia, Laura Greco, Francesca Romana Ferranti, Valeria De Soccio, Antonello Vidiri, Francesca Botta, Valeria Dominelli, Enrico Cassano, Charlotte Marguerite Lucille Trombadori, Paolo Belli, Giovanna Trecate, Chiara Tenconi, Maria Carmen De Santis, Luca Boldrini and Antonella Petrilloadd Show full author list remove Hide full author list
Bioengineering 2025, 12(9), 952; https://doi.org/10.3390/bioengineering12090952 - 2 Sep 2025
Viewed by 1360
Abstract
Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of machine and deep learning approaches on radiomics features obtained by Dynamic Contrast Enhanced Magnetic Resonance Imaging (DCE-MRI) and contrast enhanced mammography (CEM) in the characterization of breast cancer and in the [...] Read more.
Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of machine and deep learning approaches on radiomics features obtained by Dynamic Contrast Enhanced Magnetic Resonance Imaging (DCE-MRI) and contrast enhanced mammography (CEM) in the characterization of breast cancer and in the prediction of the tumor molecular profile. Methods: A total of 153 patients with malignant and benign lesions were analyzed and underwent MRI examinations. Considering the histological findings as the ground truth, three different types of findings were used in the analysis: (1) benign versus malignant lesions; (2) G1 + G2 vs. G3 classification; (3) the presence of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2+ vs. HER2−). Radiomic features (n = 851) were extracted from manually segmented regions of interest using the PyRadiomics platform, following IBSI-compliant protocols. Highly correlated features were excluded, and the remaining features were standardized using z-score normalization. A feature selection process based on Elastic Net regularization (α = 0.5) was used to reduce dimensionality. Synthetic balancing of the training data was applied using the ROSE method to address class imbalance. Model performance was evaluated using repeated 10-fold cross-validation and AUC-based metrics. Results: Among the 153 patients enrolled in the studies, 113 were malignant lesions. Among the 113 malignant lesions, 32 had high grading (G3) and 66 had the HER2+ receptor. Radiomic features derived from both CEM and DCE-MRI showed strong discriminative performance for malignancy detection, with several features achieving AUCs above 0.80. Gradient Boosting Machine (GBM) achieved the highest accuracy (0.911) and AUC (0.907) in differentiating benign from malignant lesions. For tumor grading, the neural network model attained the best accuracy (0.848), while LASSO yielded the highest sensitivity (0.667) for detecting high-grade tumors. In predicting HER2+ status, the neural network also performed best (AUC = 0.669), with a sensitivity of 0.842. Conclusions: Radiomics-based machine learning models applied to multiparametric CEM and DCE-MRI images offer promising, non-invasive tools for breast cancer characterization. The models effectively distinguished benign from malignant lesions and showed potential in predicting histological grade and HER2 status. These results demonstrate that radiomic features extracted from CEM and DCE-MRI, when analyzed through machine and deep learning models, can support accurate breast cancer characterization. Such models may assist clinicians in early diagnosis, histological grading, and biomarker assessment, potentially enhancing personalized treatment planning and non-invasive decision-making in routine practice. Full article
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18 pages, 1463 KB  
Article
Contrast-Enhanced Mammography in Breast Lesion Assessment: Accuracy and Surgical Impact
by Graziella Di Grezia, Sara Mercogliano, Luca Marinelli, Antonio Nazzaro, Alessandro Galiano, Elisa Cisternino, Gianluca Gatta, Vincenzo Cuccurullo and Mariano Scaglione
Tomography 2025, 11(8), 93; https://doi.org/10.3390/tomography11080093 - 20 Aug 2025
Viewed by 1641
Abstract
Background: Accurate preoperative tumor sizing is critical for optimal surgical planning in breast cancer. Contrast-enhanced mammography (CEM) has emerged as a promising modality, yet its accuracy relative to conventional imaging and pathology requires further validation. Objective: To prospectively evaluate the dimensional accuracy and [...] Read more.
Background: Accurate preoperative tumor sizing is critical for optimal surgical planning in breast cancer. Contrast-enhanced mammography (CEM) has emerged as a promising modality, yet its accuracy relative to conventional imaging and pathology requires further validation. Objective: To prospectively evaluate the dimensional accuracy and reproducibility of CEM compared to mammography and ultrasound, using surgical pathology as the reference standard. Methods: A total of 205 patients with 267 breast lesions underwent preoperative CEM, mammography, and ultrasound. Tumor sizes were measured independently by two radiologists. Accuracy was assessed via mean absolute error (MAE), Pearson and Spearman correlations, and inter-reader agreement evaluated by intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and Gwet’s AC1. Sensitivity analyses included bootstrap confidence intervals and log-transformed data. The surgical impact of additional lesions detected by CEM was also analyzed. Results: CEM showed superior accuracy with a mean absolute error of 0.46 mm (95% CI: 0.24–0.68) compared to mammography (4.06 mm) and ultrasound (3.52 mm) (p < 0.00001). Pearson’s correlation between CEM and pathology was exceptionally high (r = 0.995; 95% CI: 0.994–0.996), with similar robustness after log transformation. Inter-reader agreement for CEM was excellent (ICC 0.93; Gwet’s AC1 ~0.96, 95% CI: 0.93–0.98). CEM detected additional lesions in 13.1% of patients, leading to altered surgical management in 6.4%. Background parenchymal enhancement was independently associated with measurement error. Conclusions: CEM provides highly accurate and reproducible tumor size estimation superior to conventional imaging modalities, with potential clinical impact through detection of additional lesions. Its ability to detect additional lesions not seen on mammography or ultrasound has direct implications for surgical decision making, with the potential to reduce reoperations and improve oncologic and cosmetic outcomes. However, high correlation values and selective patient cohorts warrant cautious interpretation. Further multicenter studies are needed to confirm these findings and define CEM’s role in clinical practice. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Cancer Imaging)
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12 pages, 456 KB  
Article
From Variability to Standardization: The Impact of Breast Density on Background Parenchymal Enhancement in Contrast-Enhanced Mammography and the Need for a Structured Reporting System
by Graziella Di Grezia, Antonio Nazzaro, Luigi Schiavone, Cisternino Elisa, Alessandro Galiano, Gatta Gianluca, Cuccurullo Vincenzo and Mariano Scaglione
Cancers 2025, 17(15), 2523; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers17152523 - 30 Jul 2025
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1794
Abstract
Introduction: Breast density is a well-recognized factor in breast cancer risk assessment, with higher density linked to increased malignancy risk and reduced sensitivity of conventional mammography. Background parenchymal enhancement (BPE), observed in contrast-enhanced imaging, reflects physiological contrast uptake in non-pathologic breast tissue. [...] Read more.
Introduction: Breast density is a well-recognized factor in breast cancer risk assessment, with higher density linked to increased malignancy risk and reduced sensitivity of conventional mammography. Background parenchymal enhancement (BPE), observed in contrast-enhanced imaging, reflects physiological contrast uptake in non-pathologic breast tissue. While extensively characterized in breast MRI, the role of BPE in contrast-enhanced mammography (CEM) remains uncertain due to inconsistent findings regarding its correlation with breast density and cancer risk. Unlike breast density—standardized through the ACR BI-RADS lexicon—BPE lacks a uniform classification system in CEM, leading to variability in clinical interpretation and research outcomes. To address this gap, we introduce the BPE-CEM Standard Scale (BCSS), a structured four-tiered classification system specifically tailored to the two-dimensional characteristics of CEM, aiming to improve consistency and diagnostic alignment in BPE evaluation. Materials and Methods: In this retrospective single-center study, 213 patients who underwent mammography (MG), ultrasound (US), and contrast-enhanced mammography (CEM) between May 2022 and June 2023 at the “A. Perrino” Hospital in Brindisi were included. Breast density was classified according to ACR BI-RADS (categories A–D). BPE was categorized into four levels: Minimal (< 10% enhancement), Light (10–25%), Moderate (25–50%), and Marked (> 50%). Three radiologists independently assessed BPE in a subset of 50 randomly selected cases to evaluate inter-observer agreement using Cohen’s kappa. Correlations between BPE, breast density, and age were examined through regression analysis. Results: BPE was Minimal in 57% of patients, Light in 31%, Moderate in 10%, and Marked in 2%. A significant positive association was found between higher breast density (BI-RADS C–D) and increased BPE (p < 0.05), whereas lower-density breasts (A–B) were predominantly associated with minimal or light BPE. Regression analysis confirmed a modest but statistically significant association between breast density and BPE (R2 = 0.144), while age showed no significant effect. Inter-observer agreement for BPE categorization using the BCSS was excellent (κ = 0.85; 95% CI: 0.78–0.92), supporting its reproducibility. Conclusions: Our findings indicate that breast density is a key determinant of BPE in CEM. The proposed BCSS offers a reproducible, four-level framework for standardized BPE assessment tailored to the imaging characteristics of CEM. By reducing variability in interpretation, the BCSS has the potential to improve diagnostic consistency and facilitate integration of BPE into personalized breast cancer risk models. Further prospective multicenter studies are needed to validate this classification and assess its clinical impact. Full article
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21 pages, 1765 KB  
Article
Comparative Diagnostic Efficacy of Four Breast Imaging Modalities in Dense Breasts: A Single-Center Retrospective Study
by Danka Petrović, Bojana Šćepanović, Milena Spirovski, Zoran Nikin and Nataša Prvulović Bunović
Biomedicines 2025, 13(7), 1750; https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines13071750 - 17 Jul 2025
Viewed by 2691
Abstract
Background and Objectives: The aim of our study was to assess the diagnostic accuracy of four imaging modalities—digital mammography (DM), digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT), ultrasound (US), and breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)—applied individually and in combination in early cancer detection in women [...] Read more.
Background and Objectives: The aim of our study was to assess the diagnostic accuracy of four imaging modalities—digital mammography (DM), digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT), ultrasound (US), and breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)—applied individually and in combination in early cancer detection in women with dense breasts. Methods: This single-center retrospective study was conducted from January 2021 to September 2024 at the Oncology Institute of Vojvodina in Serbia and included 168 asymptomatic and symptomatic women with dense breasts. Based on the exclusion criteria, the final number of women who were screened with all four imaging methods was 156. The reference standard for checking the diagnostic accuracy of these methods is the result of a histopathological examination, if a biopsy is performed, or a stable radiological finding in the next 12–24 months. Results: The findings underscore the superior diagnostic performance of breast MRI with the highest sensitivity (95.1%), specificity (78.7%), and overall accuracy (87.2%). In contrast, DM showed the lowest sensitivity (87.7%) and low specificity (49.3%). While the combination of DM + DBT + US demonstrated improved sensitivity to 96.3%, its specificity drastically decreased to 32%, illustrating as ensitivity–specificity trade-off. Notably, the integration of all four modalities increased sensitivity to 97.5% but decreased specificity to 29.3%, suggesting an overdiagnosis risk. DBT significantly improved performance over DM alone, likely due to enhanced tissue differentiation. US proved valuable in dense breast tissue but was associated with a high false-positive rate. Breast MRI, even when used alone, confirmed its status as the gold standard for dense breast imaging. However, its widespread use is constrained by economic and logistical barriers. ROC curve analysis further emphasized MRI’s diagnostic superiority (AUC = 0.958) compared with US (0.863), DBT (0.828), and DM (0.820). Conclusions: This study provides a unique, comprehensive comparison of all four imaging modalities within the same patient cohort, offering a rare model for optimizing diagnostic pathways in women with dense breasts. The findings support the strategic integration of complementary imaging approaches to improve early cancer detection while highlighting the risk of increased false-positive rates. In settings where MRI is not readily accessible, a combined DM + DBT + US protocol may serve as a pragmatic alternative, though its limitations in specificity must be carefully considered. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Cancer Biology and Oncology)
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17 pages, 23834 KB  
Article
Information Merging for Improving Automatic Classification of Electrical Impedance Mammography Images
by Jazmin Alvarado-Godinez, Hayde Peregrina-Barreto, Delia Irazú Hernández-Farías and Blanca Murillo-Ortiz
Appl. Sci. 2025, 15(14), 7735; https://doi.org/10.3390/app15147735 - 10 Jul 2025
Viewed by 616
Abstract
Breast cancer remains one of the leading causes of mortality among women worldwide, highlighting the critical need for early and accurate detection methods. Traditional mammography, although widely used, has limitations, including radiation exposure and challenges in detecting early-stage lesions. Electrical Impedance Mammography (EIM) [...] Read more.
Breast cancer remains one of the leading causes of mortality among women worldwide, highlighting the critical need for early and accurate detection methods. Traditional mammography, although widely used, has limitations, including radiation exposure and challenges in detecting early-stage lesions. Electrical Impedance Mammography (EIM) has emerged as a non-invasive and radiation-free alternative that assesses the density and electrical conductivity of breast tissue. EIM images consist of seven layers, each representing different tissue depths, offering a detailed representation of the breast structure. However, analyzing these layers individually can be redundant and complex, making it difficult to identify relevant features for lesion classification. To address this issue, advanced computational techniques are employed for image integration, such as the Root Mean Square (CRMS) Contrast and Contrast-Limited Adaptive Histogram Equalization (CLAHE), combined with the Coefficient of Variation (CV), CLAHE-based fusion, weighted average fusion, Gaussian pyramid fusion, and Wavelet–PCA fusion. Each method enhances the representation of tissue features, optimizing the image quality and diagnostic utility. This study evaluated the impact of these integration techniques on EIM image analysis, aiming to improve the accuracy and reliability of computational diagnostic models for breast cancer detection. According to the obtained results, the best performance was achieved using Wavelet–PCA fusion in combination with XGBoost as a classifier, yielding an accuracy rate of 89.5% and an F1-score of 81.5%. These results are highly encouraging for the further investigation of this topic. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Novel Insights into Medical Images Processing)
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16 pages, 975 KB  
Article
Preliminary Evaluation of Radiomics in Contrast-Enhanced Mammography for Prognostic Prediction of Breast Cancer
by Luca Nicosia, Luciano Mariano, Aurora Gaeta, Sara Raimondi, Filippo Pesapane, Giovanni Corso, Paolo De Marco, Daniela Origgi, Claudia Sangalli, Nadia Bianco, Serena Carriero, Sonia Santicchia and Enrico Cassano
Cancers 2025, 17(12), 1926; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers17121926 - 10 Jun 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1155
Abstract
Background: Radiomics is changing clinical practice by providing quantitative information from images to improve diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment planning. This study aims to investigate a radiomics model developed from contrast-enhanced mammography (CEM) images to predict disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) in [...] Read more.
Background: Radiomics is changing clinical practice by providing quantitative information from images to improve diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment planning. This study aims to investigate a radiomics model developed from contrast-enhanced mammography (CEM) images to predict disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) in breast cancer (BC) patients. Methods: From January 2013 to December 2015, all consecutive BC patients who underwent CEM before biopsy at a referral center were enrolled. Clinical data included histological results, receptor profiles, and follow-up (DFS and OS). A region of interest (ROI) of the enhancing lesion was selected from recombined CEM images by experienced radiologists, and radiomic features were extracted. A Cox-LASSO model assigned coefficients to the features, generating patient radiomic scores (RSs), which were dichotomized for graphical representation. Model performance was assessed using the C index. Results: The study included 126 BC patients with predominantly “mass”-type lesions (95%) and a median follow-up of 6.88 years (IQR 3.10–8.15). The median age of the patients at the time of examination was 49.2 years (IQR: [42.33–56.98]). Radiomic and clinical–radiomic models showed significant associations between RS, DFS, and OS, with patients with RS below the median showing a better prognosis (p < 0.001). Bootstrap testing confirmed a good model fit for OS prediction, with median C-index values of 0.82 for the clinical model and 0.84 for the clinical–radiomic model. Conclusions: Radiomic analysis of CEM images may predict DFS and OS in BC patients, offering additional prognostic value beyond clinical models alone. Full article
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22 pages, 7258 KB  
Article
AI in 2D Mammography: Improving Breast Cancer Screening Accuracy
by Sebastian Ciurescu, Simona Cerbu, Ciprian Nicușor Dima, Florina Borozan, Raluca Pârvănescu, Diana-Gabriela Ilaș, Cosmin Cîtu, Corina Vernic and Ioan Sas
Medicina 2025, 61(5), 809; https://doi.org/10.3390/medicina61050809 - 26 Apr 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 3539
Abstract
Background and Objectives: Breast cancer is a leading global health challenge, where early detection is essential for improving survival outcomes. Two-dimensional (2D) mammography is the established standard for breast cancer screening; however, its diagnostic accuracy is limited by factors such as breast [...] Read more.
Background and Objectives: Breast cancer is a leading global health challenge, where early detection is essential for improving survival outcomes. Two-dimensional (2D) mammography is the established standard for breast cancer screening; however, its diagnostic accuracy is limited by factors such as breast density and inter-reader variability. Recent advances in artificial intelligence (AI) have shown promise in enhancing radiological interpretation. This study aimed to assess the utility of AI in improving lesion detection and classification in 2D mammography. Materials and Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed on a dataset of 578 mammographic images obtained from a single radiology center. The dataset consisted of 36% pathologic and 64% normal cases, and was partitioned into training (403 images), validation (87 images), and test (88 images) sets. Image preprocessing involved grayscale conversion, contrast-limited adaptive histogram equalization (CLAHE), noise reduction, and sharpening. A convolutional neural network (CNN) model was developed using transfer learning with ResNet50. Model performance was evaluated using sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, and area under the receiver operating characteristic (AUC-ROC) curve. Results: The AI model achieved an overall classification accuracy of 88.5% and an AUC-ROC of 0.93, demonstrating strong discriminative capability between normal and pathologic cases. Notably, the model exhibited a high specificity of 92.7%, contributing to a reduction in false positives and improved screening efficiency. Conclusions: AI-assisted 2D mammography holds potential to enhance breast cancer detection by improving lesion classification and reducing false-positive findings. Although the model achieved high specificity, further optimization is required to minimize false negatives. Future efforts should aim to improve model sensitivity, incorporate multimodal imaging techniques, and validate results across larger, multicenter prospective cohorts to ensure effective integration into clinical radiology workflows. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Developments in Diagnosis and Management of Breast Cancer)
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9 pages, 5396 KB  
Interesting Images
Neuroendocrine Tumor Metastases to the Breast Mimic Breast Primary Carcinoma: Mammography and Multimodality US Assessment in Challenging Differential Diagnosis
by Francesco Marcello Aricò, Antonio Portaluri, Francesca Catanzariti, Elvira Condorelli, Demetrio Aricò, Mariagiovanna Zagami, Emilia Magliolo, Sara Monforte and Maria Adele Marino
Diagnostics 2025, 15(7), 860; https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics15070860 - 28 Mar 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1000
Abstract
Metastases to the breast from non-mammary malignancies are rare, accounting for 0.1–5% of all breast malignancies. Neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) rarely metastasize to the breast. PET-CT somatostatin receptor imaging plays a pivotal role in the staging and follow-up of NETs, leveraging tracers like 68Ga-DOTATOC [...] Read more.
Metastases to the breast from non-mammary malignancies are rare, accounting for 0.1–5% of all breast malignancies. Neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) rarely metastasize to the breast. PET-CT somatostatin receptor imaging plays a pivotal role in the staging and follow-up of NETs, leveraging tracers like 68Ga-DOTATOC that bind to somatostatin receptors (SSTRs) expressed on tumor cells. While both primary and metastatic NETs express SSTRs, primary breast tumors may also exhibit an uptake of 68Ga-somatostatin analogs, making the differential diagnosis between primary breast tumors and neuroendocrine metastases challenging. Additionally, imaging characteristics of breast metastases from NETs are poorly documented in the literature, posing a diagnostic challenge that extends to pathology, particularly when in the absence of clinical suspicion. Misdiagnosis in such cases can lead to inappropriate therapeutic interventions. We report the case of a 75-year-old female patient with a history of pancreatic NET who presented to our breast clinic for further evaluation of a breast mass after a PET-CT scan revealed moderate 68Ga-DOTATOC uptake. Multimodality breast examination, including mammography and multiparametric US with B-mode, Color Doppler, Strain Elastography (SE), Shear Wave Elastography (SWE), and contrast-enhanced US (CEUS), was performed. Following a core biopsy, the lesion underwent surgical excision, revealing the diagnosis of NET metastasis. This case highlights a rare instance of neuroendocrine tumor metastasis to the breast, assessed using various ultrasound techniques, with detailed imaging and quantitative analysis. The comprehensive multimodal assessment contributes to the limited body of literature and provides elements for the differential diagnosis of a rare breast lesion that should always be considered in the presence of a known primary NET. Full article
(This article belongs to the Collection Interesting Images)
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