Evaluation of the association between quantitative mammographic density and breast cancer occurred in different quadrants
Journal
BMC Cancer
Journal Volume
17
Journal Issue
1
Date Issued
2017
Author(s)
Chan, S.
Chen, J.-H.
Li, S.
Chang, R.
Yeh, D.-C.
Chang, R.-F.
Yeh, L.-R.
Kwong, J.
Su, M.-Y.
Abstract
Background: To investigate the relationship between mammographic density measured in four quadrants of a breast with the location of the occurred cancer. Methods: One hundred and ten women diagnosed with unilateral breast cancer that could be determined in one specific breast quadrant were retrospectively studied. Women with previous cancer/breast surgery were excluded. The craniocaudal (CC) and mediolateral oblique (MLO) mammography of the contralateral normal breast were used to separate a breast into 4 quadrants: Upper-Outer (UO), Upper-Inner (UI), Lower-Outer (LO), and Lower-Inner (LI). The breast area (BA), dense area (DA), and percent density (PD) in each quadrant were measured by using the fuzzy-C-means segmentation. The BA, DA, and PD were compared between patients who had cancer occurring in different quadrants. Results: The upper-outer quadrant had the highest BA (37 ± 15 cm2) and DA (7.1 ± 2.9 cm2), with PD = 20.0 ± 5.8%. The order of BA and DA in the 4 separated quadrants were: UO > UI > LO > LI, and almost all pair-wise comparisons showed significant differences. For tumor location, 67 women (60.9%) had tumor in UO, 16 (14.5%) in UI, 7 (6.4%) in LO, and 20 (18.2%) in LI quadrant, respectively. The estimated odds and the 95% confidence limits of tumor development in the UO, UI, LO and LI quadrants were 1.56 (1.06, 2.29), 0.17 (0.10, 0.29), 0.07 (0.03, 0.15), and 0.22 (0.14, 0.36), respectively. In these 4 groups of women, the order of quadrant BA and DA were all the same (UO > UI > LO > LI), and there was no significant difference in BA, DA or PD among them (all p > 0.05). Conclusions: Breast cancer was most likely to occur in the UO quadrant, which was also the quadrant with highest BA and DA; but for women with tumors in other quadrants, the density in that quadrant was not the highest. Therefore, there was no direct association between quadrant density and tumor occurrence. ? 2017 The Author(s).
Subjects
Breast cancer; Breast quadrant; Dense area; Mammographic density; Percent density; Upper-outer quadrant
Other Subjects
adult; aged; anthropometric parameters; Article; breast area; breast cancer; breast density; dense area; female; human; major clinical study; mammography; mammography system; percent density; quantitative analysis; tumor localization; very elderly; algorithm; breast; breast tumor; cytology; diagnostic imaging; image processing; mammography; middle aged; Paget nipple disease; pathology; procedures; retrospective study; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Algorithms; Breast; Breast Neoplasms; Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast; Female; Humans; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; Mammography; Middle Aged; Retrospective Studies
Type
journal article