Professional Documents
Culture Documents
BIRADS
Tiffanie Uy, MD, MBA
Mammography
• Radiographic examination for detecting breast pathology, particularly
breast cancer
• Detects at an earlier, more treatable stage
• Low-cost, low-radiation dose procedure
• Screening mammography: identify breast CA in asymptomatic
patients
• Single best test for early detection of breast cancer to reduce mortality
• Mediolateral oblique and craniocaudal views
• Diagnostic mammography: assess palpable lesions or evaluate
suspicious findings from screening mammography
• Additional x-ray projections, magnification views, spot compression views,
ultrasound, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), or mammoscintigraphy.
Screening Guidelines
• Annual screening starting age of 45
• Optional biennial screening at age 55
• Women at high risk for breast CA should seek advice about screening
• Personal history of breast/ovarian CA
• BRCA1/BRCA2 gene mutation carrier
• Family history of breast CA
• Atypical ductal hyperplasia or lobular neoplasia on previous biopsy
• History of chest irradiation between ages 10 and 30 years
• Earlier screening for high risk women (as early as 25-30 years old)
Physics
• Molybdenum: Most common anode used to generate x-rays
• Lower energy x-rays (<40 kV) Greater contrast between soft tissues
• Tungsten: More efficient, better longevity, yield lower radiation doses
than molybdenum
• Compression
• Spread overlapping structures for differentiation
• Minimize motion blurring and geometric unsharpness
• Reduce radiation dose
• Make the breast thickness uniform
Screening Mammography
• Mediolateral Oblique (MLO)
view: shows greatest amount of
breast tissue
• X-ray tube and image receptor
paralleling the patient’s pectoralis
major muscle
• Compression applied from
superomedial direction
• Shows pectoralis major muscle to
posterior nipple line, nipple in
profile
Screening Mammography
• Craniocaudal (CC) view
• X-ray tube is perpendicular to the
floor
• Pectoralis muscle is seen centrally
on the film, nipple in profile
Screening Mammography
• Artifacts
• Motion artifact: Due to patient
movement
• Obscure details of normal structures
and microcalfications
Tomosynthesis
• Digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) = 3D mammography
• X-ray tube pivots in an arc while the patient is stationary
• Detects masses, asymmetries, and architectural distortion
• Thin slices of fibroglandular tissues Increase chance of detecting
cancer
• Ability to differentiate true masses from superimposing breast tissue
Breast Density
• The breast is composed of radiopaque
breast parenchyma and radiolucent
fatty elements
• Relative amount of tissue density to
fat Classified into 4 by the BIRADS
lexicon
• BIRADS a: Almost entirely fatty
• BIRADS b: Scattered fibroglandular tissue
• BIRADS c: Heterogenously dense
• BIRADS d: Extremely dense
Breast Density
• Increased breast density leads to
decreased mammographic sensitivity
to malignancy
• Due to masking effect
• Breast density is an independent risk
factor for breast cancer
• High density = more glandular tissue =
more epithelial cells that may become
malignant
Diagnostic Mammography
• Done in women with
• Recent abnormal screening mammogram
• Current sign/symptom of malignancy
• Follow-up for a probably benign finding
• Personal history of breast CA
Benign Malignant
• Simple Cyst • Serous Ovarian
• Physiologic ovarian Cyst Cystadenocarcinoma
• Serous cystadenoma • Endometrioid Carcinoma
• Mucinous cystadenoma
• Ovarian Metastases
• Hemorrhagic Cyst
• Endometrioma
• Mature Cystic Teratoma
Simple Cyst
• US: Thin wall, anechoic internal contents,
posterior acoustic enhancement, no
septations or solid components
• Ex. Follicular or corpus luteal cysts, serous
cystadenoma
• Seen in 4-17% of postmenopausal women
• Remain stable or resolve on follow-up
ultrasound
• Annual follow-up sonography done if > 1 cm
• In premenopausal women, yearly follow-up
done if cyst measures between 5 and 7 cm
Physiologic Ovarian Cyst
• MRI: Hypointense on T1WI, hyperintense
on T2WI
• Uniform, thin, dark wall evident on T2WI
• CT: Well-defined, thin-walled,
homogenous internal density near water
• > 3cm size indicative of physiologic
ovarian follicle
Serous Cystadenoma
• US: Unilocular cystic/anechoic without papillary projections, no flow
on Doppler
• Most common ovarian serous tumor
• Most common ovarian epithelial neoplasm
• Peak incidence at the 4th-5th decades of life
• Usually asymptomatic, but may have mass effect
• Treatment: Surgical removal
Serous Cystadenoma
• CT: Unilocular (typically) or multilocular cystic mass with
homogeneous CT attenuation, with a thin regular wall or septum, and
usually no endocystic or exocystic vegetation
• MRI: Hypointense on T1WI, hyperintense on T2WI, with gadolinium
wall enhancement
Mucinous Cystadenoma
• US: Multilocular cystic/anechoic with
thin septations, low level internal
echoes due to increased mucin content
• Larger than serous cystadenomas
• Peak incidence at the 3rd-5th decades of
life
• Usually asymptomatic, but may have
mass effect Multiloculated cystic lesions measuring approx. 10 cm x
7 cm on right side, and 7 cm x 6 cm on left side are seen.
• Treatment: Surgical removal Lesions are anechoic with no solid areas within, and
shows thin internal septations.
Mucinous Cystadenoma
• MRI: Large multilocular cysts with fluid of various viscosity Variable
signal intensities on both T1 and T2 “Stained glass” appearance
Hemorrhagic Cyst
• US: Fibrin strands and retracting clot: Highly specific features
• Usually resolves within 8 weeks
• When to do follow-up study in 6-12 weeks
• Sonographically typical hemorrhagic cyst > 5cm
• Suspected hemorrhagic cyst with atypical morphologic features
• Hemorrhagic cysts in perimenopausal or early post-menopausal women
• Most significant potential complication: Rupture with hemoperitoneum
• May be difficult to distinguish from a ruptured ectopic pregnancy Must check
hCG level
• Usually managed expectantly in hemodynamically stable patients
Hemorrhagic Cyst
• MRI: May be low signal on both T1WI and T2WI, high signal on T1WI
and low signal on T2WI, or low signal on T1WI and high signal on T2WI
• Absence of enhancement differentiates internal blood clot affixed to the cyst
from a solid nodule
• CT: Thin-walled cysts with internal density near water or higher in
attenuation depending on the physical state of the blood products
Endometrioma
• US: Cystic lesions with diffuse low-level internal echoes (“ground
glass”), multilocularity, and echogenic foci in the wall
• Endometrial tissue outside the uterus—most commonly located in
the ovaries
• Common in women of childbearing age and 10x increase in
prevalence with an affected first-degree relative
• Symptoms: Cyclic pain, infertility, or sometimes asymptomatic
• Suspect malignancy (clear cell carcinoma or endometrioid
adenocarcinoma) if with solid mural nodules or rapid size increase
Endometrioma
• Surgical removal is considered for
symptomatic endometriomas
• Asymptomatic lesions can be
followed annually with
ultrasound
Endometrioma
• MRI: Homogeneous high intensity on T1WI and characteristically
low signal on T2WI (“T2 shading”)
• CT: Complex cystic pelvic masses, frequently with relatively high
attenuation fluid components; prominent inflammation and fibrosis
Mature Cystic Teratomas
• US: Focal/diffuse hyperechoic component, areas of acoustic
shadowing (“tip of the iceberg” sign), echogenic lines and dots
(dermoid ”mesh” or “dot-dash” sign)
• Hyperechoic component = Rokitansky nodule Mixed hair and sebaceous
material or calcification
• Dermoids are composed of at least 2 of the 3 germ cell layers
(ectoderm, mesoderm, endoderm)
• 20% of ovarian neoplasms; most common germ cell ovarian neoplasm
• Seen in premenopausal women
• Most are asymptomatic and are incidental findings
Mature Cystic Teratomas
• May present with symptoms related to large size Compression
• Torsion or rupture of dermoid may cause significant pain
• Potential complications:
• Malignancy: 80% of which are squamous cell carcinoma
• Features to watch out for: Isoechoic branching structures, demonstration of central flow
within mass by Doppler
• Hyperthyroidism: If with large amount of thyroid tissue
• Chemical peritonitis: Following spontaneous/iatrogenic rupture
• Ovarian torsion
Mature Cystic Teratomas
• MRI: Hyperintense on T1WI, hypointense on T2WI
• CT: Demonstration of fat density within a cystic adnexal mass is
definitive
Fibroma
• US: Hypoechoic solid masses, with marked posterior acoustic
shadowing
• Most common solid ovarian mass
• Usually asymptomatic, but can cause pelvic pain
• Occurs in women aged 40-50
• Meigs syndrome: Ascites + pleural effusion + ovarian fibroma
• Resolves following surgical removal of tumor
• MRI: Well-defined ovarian mass, hypointense on both T1WI and T2WI
• CT: Solid mass with minimal enhancement
Adnexal Torsion
• US: Unilaterally enlarged ovary (> 4cm), with or without smooth-walled
adnexal mass – nidus for twisting, concentric wall thickening; fallopian tube
appears as amorphous mass; uterus deviated toward the torsed adnexa
• Follicular ring sign: Perifollicular hyperechoic rim, 1-2mm thickness surrounding the
peripheral antral follicles of the torsed ovary
• Signs of hemorrhagic infarction:
• Marked wall thickening of adnexal mass (> 10mm)
• Hemorrhage within the mass and within the twisted tube
• Hemoperitoneum
• Partial or complete rotation of adnexal structures with obstruction of
vascular flow
• Involves either the ovary, the fallopian tube, or both
Adnexal Torsion
• Occurs predominantly in reproductive aged women, but can occur at any
age
• Predisposing factors:
• Ipsilateral adnexal mass
• Pregnancy
• Ovulation induction
• PCOS
• Prior pelvic surgery
• Hypermobility of adnexal structures
• Sudden onset abdominal/pelvic pain, palpable adnexal mass, peritoneal
signs, nausea/vomiting, fever, flank pain
Adnexal Torsion
• Ultrasound primary modality of choice
• CT scan may be the first study done in an
ER setting if ovarian torsion is not initially
considered.
• Enlarged ovary with or without an associated
mass, ovarian stromal edema with peripheral
follicles, inflammatory stranding in the
periovarian fat, a twisted vascular pedicle, a
thickened fallopian tube, pelvic free fluid,
midline position of the ovary, and deviation
of the uterus to the side of the twist
Ovarian Malignancy
• US findings suggestive of malignancy (similar to MR/CT findings)
• Presence of solid component, with detectable flow by Doppler imaging,
within a cystic ovarian mass Most important sonographic feature for
predicting ovarian malignancy
• Larger solid component within a cystic mass Higher chance of malignancy
• Presence of solid nodules (papillary projections, excrescences, or vegetations)
• Focal wall thickening (> 3mm)
• Invasion of adjacent structures
• Adenopathy
Ovarian Cancer
• Epithelial type: Most common
• Peak age of onset: 55-59 years old
• Insidious onset and silent growth pattern
• Increased CA-125: Serologic marker for ovarian cancer
• Spreads via peritoneal seeding, direct extension, and lymphatics
• CT primarily for follow-up
• MRI provides most detailed imaging evaluation
• Initial treatment: TAHBSO, with omentectomy, and tumor debulking
Ovarian Cancer
• Risk factors
• Nulliparity
• Early menarche
• Late menopause
• Positive family history
• Infertility
Ovarian Serous Cystadenocarcinoma
• US: Mixed cystic/solid lesion (more heterogenous than serous
cystadenoma), papillary projections, thick septations, and/or solid
components, with vascularity of solid components
• Most common type of invasive epithelial ovarian cancer
• Seen in postmenopausal women in their 60s and 70s
• Diagnosed at advanced stages 70% of the time
• Malignant form of ovarian serous cystadenoma
• Symptoms: Pain, swelling, or pressure in the pelvis; abnormal uterine
bleeding; lump in pelvic area
Ovarian Serous Cystadenocarcinoma
• MRI: Hypointense cystic portions on T1, hyperintense cystic portions
on T2, restricted diffusion on DWI on solid components
US: complex solid-cystic mass in the left ovary, and
another, very large complex solid-cystic mass in the
right hemi-pelvis