The role of tomosynthesis imaging in addition to digital mammography in lesion detection and characterization among the women with dense breast tissue

PURPOSE: To evaluate the role of tomosynthesis imaging in addition to digital mammography in lesion detection and characterization among the women with dense breast tissue. MATERIALS & METHOD: Informed and written consents were obtained from all the cases participating the study. Permission of the "Clinical Research Council" of our institution was also requested. The study was conducted between June 2011 and March 2013. During this period, medio-lateral oblique (MLO) breast tomosynthesis (BT) images were obtained from the study group, in addition to the standard digital mammography (DM) image sets consisting of cranio-caudal (CC) and MLO projections. Supplementary ultrasound (US) imaging was also carried out in all cases. The findings of each modality were separately recorded. FINDINGS: Totally, imaging tests of 246 women were evaluated. With ultrasound, lesions were detected at 195 patiens (79,3). 76 cases with digital mammography and 9 cases with digital breast tomosynthesis were claassifiied as BI-RADS 0 and were excluded from statistical calculations. The sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values of DM and BT were as following: 57,2 %, 65,8 %, 79,2 %, 40,3% for DM and, 84,4 %, 92,4 %, 96,2 %, %72,3 for BT. DISCUSSION: Tomosynthesis imaging increases the sensitivity of lesion detection of mammography among women with dense breast composition. The potential benefits and liimitations of this new method can be demonstrated by diffirent patient groups and larger series.