Detection of internal mammary adenopathy in patients with breast cancer by PET/CT and MRI Journal Article


Authors: Jochelson, M. S.; Lebron, L.; Jacobs, S. S.; Zheng, J.; Moskowitz, C. S.; Powell, S. N.; Sacchini, V.; Ulaner, G. A.; Morris, E. A.; Dershaw, D. D.
Article Title: Detection of internal mammary adenopathy in patients with breast cancer by PET/CT and MRI
Abstract: OBJECTIVE. The purpose of this study was to assess the prevalence of internal mammary node (IMN) adenopathy in patients with breast cancer and compare breast MRI and PET/CT for detection of IMN adenopathy. MATERIALS AND METHODS. This retrospective study included 90 women who underwent MRI and PET/CT before neoadjuvant chemotherapy for clinical stage IIA through IIIA disease. MRI and PET/CT examinations were read independently by two readers trained in breast imaging and nuclear medicine. All patients underwent follow-up MRI at the end of chemotherapy, and 10 with hypermetabolic IMNs underwent follow-up PET/CT. Histology was not obtained. Women were considered to have IMN adenopathy when nodes seen on MRI or having standardized uptake value (SUV) greater than mediastinal blood pool decreased in either size or SUV (or both) after treatment. Features including lymphovascular invasion, tumor quadrant(s), and axillary adenopathy were compared between presence and absence of IMN adenopathy using Fisher's exact test. Prevalence was determined on the basis of the percentage of patients with IMN adenopathy by either modality. The McNemar test compared the prevalence of IMN adenopathy on MRI to its prevalence on PET/CT. RESULTS. Prevalence of IMN adenopathy was 16% (14/90) by MRI and 14% (13/90) by PET/CT (p = 0.317). After chemotherapy, IMN adenopathy resolved in 12 of 14 patients (86%). In two patients with poor responses in primary tumors, IMN adenopathy persisted, and both patients developed metastatic disease within 6 months. At 3 years, survival was significantly worse in patients with IMN adenopathy than in those without (85.7% vs 53.3%, respectively; p = 0.009). CONCLUSION. In women with advanced breast cancer receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy, prevalence of IMN adenopathy was 16%, equally detected by breast MRI and PET/CT. Identification of IMN adenopathy may affect treatment and provides prognostic information. © American Roentgen Ray Society.
Keywords: breast cancer; neoadjuvant chemotherapy; breast mri; pet/ct; internal mammary nodes
Journal Title: American Journal of Roentgenology
Volume: 205
Issue: 4
ISSN: 0361-803X
Publisher: American Roentgen Ray Society  
Date Published: 2015-10-01
Start Page: 899
End Page: 904
Language: English
DOI: 10.2214/ajr.14.13804
PROVIDER: scopus
PUBMED: 26397342
PMCID: PMC4970424
DOI/URL:
Notes: Export Date: 2 November 2015 -- Source: Scopus
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MSK Authors
  1. Stefanie S Jacobs
    3 Jacobs
  2. Junting Zheng
    200 Zheng
  3. Simon Nicholas Powell
    331 Powell
  4. D David Dershaw
    223 Dershaw
  5. Gary Ulaner
    146 Ulaner
  6. Elizabeth A Morris
    336 Morris
  7. Maxine Jochelson
    134 Jochelson
  8. Virgilio Sacchini
    146 Sacchini
  9. Chaya S. Moskowitz
    278 Moskowitz