Qualitative and Quantitative Association between Breast Background Parenchymal Enhancement and Cancer Incidence

Abstract

Background: Due to increased utility of MRI as a screening and a diagnostic tool, data concerning BPE became available more than before. BPE may havean important role as a tool for early detection of breast cancer, and identifying population at risk offuture breast cancer. Aim of Study: To evaluate the association between qualitative and quantitative background parenchymal enhancement (BPE) evaluation at dynamic contrast enhanced MRI and breast cancer incidence. Patients and Methods: The MRI for 40 premenopausal and postmenopausal females was reviewed. Qualitative MRI interpretation included assessment of the level the BPE and amount of FGT. The BPE was categorized as minimal degree, mild degree, moderate degree, or marked degree. Quantitative assessment of BPE included ROI selection in the parenchyma, and then creation of histogram curve giving quantitative values of the BPE in the selected ROI. Results: In our study we found that amount of fibroglan-dular tissue and BPE were influenced by age, with pre-menopausal women having more amount of fibroglandular tissue, showing more pronounced and extensive degrees ofBPE compared to post-menopausal women. Also, higher qualitative levels and quantitative values of BPE were detected in malignant group. This revealed association of the higher quantitative value of BPE with higher cancer incidence. Conclusion: From our study we concluded that higher amount of the fibroglandular tissue and higher qualitative degree and quantitative value of BPE are associated with increased breast cancer odds in the same age category, and from that we can predict higher incidence of breast cancer in population with higher degrees and values of BPE.