Asymmetries on screening contrast-enhanced mammography may not need additional diagnostic workup, according to a study published Dec. 9 in the European Journal of Radiology.
Researchers from New York City-based Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center's department of radiology analyzed the diagnostic workup associated with contrast-enhanced mammography examinations performed between December 2012 and June 2021 for the study.
Here are seven notes from the study:
- For the study, non-enhancing asymmetries were classified as asymmetry, focal asymmetry, global asymmetry and developing asymmetry.
- During the study period, 97 (2.8%) of all contrast-enhanced mammograms cases (3,482) were classified as finding non-enhancing asymmetries.
- Of the 97 non-enhancing asymmetries, 83 were classified as asymmetry, 22 as focal asymmetry and one as global asymmetry. No cases of developing asymmetry were found.
- Non-enhancing asymmetry size ranged from 0.3 cm to 4.9 cm, with a mean size of 1.0 cm.
- Sixty-three of the non-enhancing asymmetry cases resulted in additional mammographic views, 30 resulted in additional mammographic views plus MRI and four resulted in biopsy.
- None of the non-enhancing asymmetry cases were malignant on follow-up.
- The detection of non-enhancing asymmetries on contrast-enhanced mammograms was low and yielded no cancer after additional diagnostic workup.
"Ruling out malignancy based on lack of enhancement without further workup may reduce patient recall rates and improve contrast-enhanced mammograms specificity," the study authors wrote.
Read the full study here.