J Korean Soc Radiol.  2018 Jul;79(1):18-26. 10.3348/jksr.2018.79.1.18.

Association of Volumetric Breast Density with Clinical and Histopathological Factors in 205 Breast Cancer Patients

Affiliations
  • 1Department of Radiology, School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Kyungpook National University Chilgok Hospital, Daegu, Korea. greenoaktree9@gmail.com

Abstract

PURPOSE
To evaluate the association of volumetric breast density with clinicopathological factors in breast cancer patients.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
A total of 205 Korean patients with breast cancer who underwent mammography for initial staging between January 2015 and June 2016 were enrolled. Volumetric breast density was measured using a fully automated commercial method (Volpara®). in the contralateral breast. The association of volumetric breast density with clinical and histopathological factors was evaluated using t-test and analysis of variance as appropriate.
RESULTS
Mean volumetric breast density in all patients was 13.5% (range, 4.1-34.9%). The mean volumetric breast density in patients with symptom-detected cancers was significantly higher than that in those with screening-detected cancers (14.9% vs. 11.8%, p = 0.002). Mean volumetric breast density tended to decrease with age (20-39 years: 19.0%, 40-59 years: 14.3%, 60-80 years: 7.7%). The mean volumetric breast density in postmenopausal women was significantly lower than that in premenopausal women (9.8% vs. 17.6%, p < .001). Other histopathological factors including histologic grade or hormone receptor status were not associated with volumetric breast density.
CONCLUSION
Our results suggest that volumetric breast density is associated with the method of detection, age, and menopausal status.


MeSH Terms

Breast Neoplasms*
Breast*
Female
Humans
Mammography
Methods

Figure

  • Fig. 1 Right (A) and left (B) craniocaudal mammograms in 49-year-old woman diagnosed with breast cancer for palpable mass in her left inner breast. A fully automated software (Volpara; Volpara Health Technologies, Wellington, the New Zealand) for volumetric breast density assessment shows that the percentage mammographic density of her right breast is 24.9% (Volpara-assigned BI-RADS grade d). Two radiologists assessed BI-RADS grade d for visual assessment in consensus. BI-RADS = Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System

  • Fig. 2 Right (A) and left (B) craniocaudal mammograms in 60-year-old woman diagnosed with breast cancer patient detected in health screening in the left mid outer breast. A fully automated software (Volpara; Volpara Health Technologies, Wellington, the New Zealand) for volumetric breast density assessment shows that the percentage mammographic density of her right breast is 4.5% (Volpara-assigned BI-RADS grade b). Two radiologists assessed BI-RADS grade c for visual assessment in consensus. BI-RADS = Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System


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