Perform radiological evaluation of calcifications in breast lesions. Correlate findings with histopathology and quantitative magnetic resonance imaging (qMRI), using T1/T2 ratios as a potential biomarker for malignancy.

Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women, except for skin cancers. (1)It remains a second leading cause of cancer-related death in women, surpassed by lung cancer only. About one in eight (13%) women in the USA will develop invasive breast cancer during their lifetime (1). According to American Cancer Society, about 281,550 new cases of invasive breast cancer is estimated in women in 2021, and 49,290 new cases of carcinoma in situ expected to be diagnosed (carcinoma in situ is noninvasive and is...

This study population consisted mostly of women with non - palpable lesions (70%). Palpable on physical exam lesions were not associated with microcalcifications detected by mammography (p=0.2458). Notably, calcifications in ductal carcinoma in situ were observed in 80-90% of analyzed lesions on mammography; and predominantly detected in younger women with higher tumor grade. Malignant lesions were associated with irregular, pleomorphic type calcifications (p=0.0084) (Figure 1). The higher grade of cancer determined by histopathology was strongly associated (p= 0.0401) with grouped or clustered; and segmental distribution...

Integrative approach to assessment of calcifications, utilizing radiological modalities and histopathology, can help better characterize lesions and predict potential for malignancy. The elevated T1/T2 ratios on qMRI strongly correlated with malignancy on histopathology. This quantitative assessment of tissue properties can provide additional information for diagnostic breast imaging.

M. Malikova: Nothing to disclose H. Jara: Nothing to disclose P. J. Slanetz: Nothing to disclose

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