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BMC Cancer
Published in: BMC Cancer 1/2014

Open Access 01-12-2014 | Research article

High-resolution 3D micro-CT imaging of breast microcalcifications: a preliminary analysis

Authors: Inneke Willekens, Elke Van de Casteele, Nico Buls, Frederik Temmermans, Bart Jansen, Rudi Deklerck, Johan de Mey

Published in: BMC Cancer | Issue 1/2014

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Abstract

Background

Detection of microcalcifications on mammograms indicates the presence of breast lesion, and the shapes of the microcalcifications as seen by conventional mammography correlates with the probability of malignancy. This preliminary study evaluated the 3D shape of breast microcalcifications using micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) and compared the findings with those obtained using anatomopathological analysis.

Methods

The study analyzed breast biopsy samples from 11 women with findings of suspicious microcalcifications on routine mammograms. The samples were imaged using a micro-CT (SkyScan 1076) at a resolution of 35 μm. Images were reconstructed using filtered back-projection and analyzed in 3D using surface rendering. The samples were subsequently analyzed by the pathology service. Reconstructed 3D images were compared with the corresponding histological slices.

Results

Anatomopathological analysis showed that 5 of 11 patients had ductal breast carcinoma in situ. One patient was diagnosed with invasive ductal carcinoma.
Individual object analysis was performed on 597 microcalcifications. Malignant microcalcifications tended to be thinner and to have a smaller volume and surface area, while their surface area-to-volume ratio was greater than that of benign microcalcifications. The structure model index values were the same for malignant and benign microcalcifications.

Conclusions

This is the first study to use micro-CT for quantitative 3D analysis of microcalcifications. This high-resolution imaging technique will be valuable for gaining a greater understanding of the morphologic characteristics of malignant and benign microcalcifications. The presence of many small microcalcifications can be an indication of malignancy. For the larger microcalcifications, 3D parameters confirmed the more irregular shape of malignant microcalcifications.
Appendix
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Metadata
Title
High-resolution 3D micro-CT imaging of breast microcalcifications: a preliminary analysis
Authors
Inneke Willekens
Elke Van de Casteele
Nico Buls
Frederik Temmermans
Bart Jansen
Rudi Deklerck
Johan de Mey
Publication date
01-12-2014
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
BMC Cancer / Issue 1/2014
Electronic ISSN: 1471-2407
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2407-14-9

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