Mammography with Synchrotron Radiation: First Clinical Experience with Phase-Detection Technique

Purpose: To prospectively evaluate the diagnostic contribution of mammography with synchrotron radiation in patients with questionable or suspicious breast abnormalities identifi ed at combined digital mammography (DM) and ultrasonography (US). Materials and Methods: The ethics committee approved this prospective study, and written informed consent was obtained from all patients. Mammography with synchrotron radiation was performed with a phase-detection technique at a synchrotron radiation laboratory. Forty-nine women who met at least one of the inclusion criteria (palpable mass, focal asymmetry, architectural distortion, or equivocal or suspicious mass at DM; none clarifi ed at US) were enrolled. Forty-seven women (mean age, 57.8 years 6 8.8 [standard deviation]; age range, 43–78 years) completed the study protocol, which involved biopsy or follow-up for 1 year as the reference standard. Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) scores of 1–3 were considered to indicate a negative result, while scores 4–5 were considered to indicate a positive result. The visibility of breast abnormalities and the glandular parenchymal structure at DM and at mammography with synchrotron radiation was compared by using the Wilcoxon signed rank test. Results: In 29 of the 31 patients with a fi nal diagnosis of benign entity, mammography with synchrotron radiation yielded BI-RADS scores of 1–3. In 13 of the remaining 16 patients with a fi nal diagnosis of malignancy, mammography with synchrotron radiation yielded BI-RADS scores of 4–5. Therefore, a sensitivity of 81% (13 of 16 patients) and a specifi city of 94% (29 of 31 patients) were achieved with use of the described BI-RADS dichotomization system. Conclusion: These study results suggest that mammography with synchrotron radiation can be used to clarify cases of questionable or suspicious breast abnormalities identifi ed at DM.