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THURSDAY, Dec. 13, 2018 (HealthDay News) — A novel technique, quantitative three-compartment breast (3CB) image analysis of dual-energy mammography combined with mammography radiomics, could reduce unnecessary breast biopsies, according to a study published online Dec. 11 in Radiology<\/i>.<\/p>\n
Karen Drukker, Ph.D., from the University of Chicago, and colleagues examined the combination of mammography radiomics and quantitative 3CB image analysis of dual-energy mammography in a prospective study. Dual-energy craniocaudal and mediolateral oblique mammograms were obtained before biopsy in 109 women with Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System category 4 or 5 breast masses (35 invasive cancers and 74 benign). The three quantitative compartments of water, lipid, and protein thickness were calculated at each pixel. A linear discriminant classifier with predefined feature signatures was used to differentiate between water-lipid-protein composition images alone, mammography radiomics alone, and a combined image analysis. The primary performance metric was positive predictive value of biopsy (PPV3<\/sub>) at maximum sensitivity.<\/p>\n The researchers found a PPV3<\/sub> for conventional diagnostic digital mammography of 32.1 percent, with 100 percent sensitivity. For combined mammography radiomics plus quantitative 3CB image analysis, the PPV3<\/sub> was 49 percent, with 97 percent sensitivity and 35.8 percent fewer biopsies.<\/p>\n “Our study showed that more investigation into the application of 3CB imaging is warranted, and we have initiated a research study incorporating 3CB imaging into breast tomosynthesis,” the authors write.<\/p>\n Two authors disclosed financial ties to the medical device and medical technology industries.<\/p>\n