Interobserver variability and likelihood of malignancy for fifth edition BI-RADS MRI descriptors in non-mass breast lesions

Abstract

Objective

Non-mass enhancement (NME) in breast MRI is the most common feature of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS). We sought to evaluate the interobserver variability and positive predictive value (PPV) for malignancy of NME descriptors using the fifth edition BI-RADS lexicon focusing on the newly introduced “clustered ring enhancement” pattern.

Materials and methods

Breast MRIs of 129 patients who had undergone MRI-guided vacuum-assisted biopsy (VAB) in our institution were reviewed. Studies assessed as NME were classified according to the fifth edition BI-RADS lexicon by two breast radiologists. Consensus was reached by involving a third radiologist. Interobserver variability and PPV for malignancy were assessed.

Results

Seventy-two of 129 studies were assessed as NME. The disagreement rate in the first assessment step (mass vs. NME) was low at 9.3% ( ĸ = 0.81, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.71–0.91). The disagreement rate for distribution patterns was 23.6% ( ĸ = 0.67, 95% CI 0.54–0.80) and 22.2% ( ĸ = 0.69, 95% CI 0.56–0.81) for internal enhancement patterns. Clustered ring enhancement (PPV 53.85, p = 0.038) and segmental distribution (PPV 62.5%, p = 0.028) had the highest malignancy rates among internal enhancement and distribution patterns with a significant result; the combination of clustered ring enhancement and segmental distribution raised the malignancy rate by approximately 4% (PPV 66.67%, p = 0.049).

Conclusion

There was a high agreement rate among readers when differentiating NME from mass lesions. The agreement rate was lower when assessing the distribution and internal enhancement pattern descriptors, but still substantial. The descriptors clustered ring enhancement and segmental distribution were significant predictors of malignancy.

Key Points

• Non-mass enhancement is a common morphological feature of non-invasive breast cancer (DCIS) in MRI. Differentiation between potentially malignant and benign changes may be very challenging.

• Since clustered ring enhancement and segmental distribution are both significant predictors of malignancy, the awareness of this important finding, combined with high-quality image interpretation skills, may improve the tumor detection rate.

• The combination of clustered ring enhancement and segmental distribution increases the positive predictive value for malignancy, which may be relevant for clinical practice .