Diagnostic Value of Digital Breast Tomosynthesis Combined with Magnetic Resonance Imaging for Breast Cancer in Dense Breast Tissues

Abstract

Background: Early diagnosis and timely treatment are crucial for breast cancer patients. Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the diagnostic value of full-field digital mammography (FFDM), digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for breast cancer. Patients and Methods: This study was performed on 210 patients diagnosed with breast cancer and benign breast lesions (n = 105) by FFDM, DBT, MRI, and pathological examination from January 2019 to December 2020. The patients’ imaging and clinical data were retrospectively analyzed. The lesions were evaluated according to the breast imaging-reporting and data system, with pathological diagnosis as the gold standard. The diagnostic efficiency of the examination methods was analyzed by plotting the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. The DBT and MRI results were finally compared. Results: In 210 patients, 105 benign and 105 malignant lesions were detected. The area under the ROC curve (AUC) of FFDM, DBT, MRI, FFDM + DBT, and FFDM + MRI was 0.734, 0.857, 0.883, 0.865, and 0.924, respectively. Based on the results, the AUC values were significantly higher for DBT, MRI, FFDM + DBT, and FFDM + MRI compared to FFDM (P < 0.05), while similar values were reported for the former methods (P > 0.05). The diagnostic sensitivity of MRI was higher than that of DBT and FFDM; the sensitivity of DBT was higher than that of FFDM; and the specificity and positive predictive value were higher for DBT compared to MRI and FFDM. Conclusion: Compared to FFDM, DBT and FFDM + DBT could significantly improve the diagnostic efficiency of breast cancer; the diagnostic efficiency of these modalities was comparable to that of MRI and FFDM + MRI. The sensitivity of DBT was lower than that of MRI and higher than that of FFDM, while its specificity and positive predictive value were higher than those of MRI. Overall, FFDM + DBT and FFDM + MRI are conducive to early diagnosis.