Multimodal Imaging of Ductal Carcinoma In Situ: A Single-Center Study of 75 Cases

<b>Introduction:</b> 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. <b>Methods:</b> 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. <b>Results:</b> 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, <i>p</i> < 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. <b>Conclusions:</b> 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.

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Journal
Medical Sciences
Published
2025-10-27
DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/medsci13040245
Primary Topic
MRI in cancer diagnosis
Type
article
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article

Multimodal Imaging of Ductal Carcinoma In Situ: A Single-Center Study of 75 Cases

Vittorio Patanè, Luca Brunese, Carlo Varelli, Salvatore Cappabianca et al.
Medical Sciences
MRI in cancer diagnosis
article

Multimodal Imaging of Ductal Carcinoma In Situ: A Single-Center Study of 75 Cases

Vittorio Patanè, Luca Brunese, Carlo Varelli, Salvatore Cappabianca, N. Giordano, Maria Chiara Brunese, Fabrizio Urraro, C Russo
article en

Abstract

<b>Introduction:</b> 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. <b>Methods:</b> 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. <b>Results:</b> 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, <i>p</i> < 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. <b>Conclusions:</b> 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.

Medical SciencesVol. 13(4)
University of Molise (IT), University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli" (IT), SDN Istituto di Ricerca Diagnostica e Nucleare (IT), Link Campus University (IT)
Openalex Percentile: Top 54%
MRI in cancer diagnosis
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