Breast cancer detection using double reading of unenhanced MRI including Tl-weighted, T2-weighted STIR, and diffusion-weighted imaging: a proof of concept study

OBJECTIVE. The purpose of this study was to investigate the diagnostic performance of unenhanced MRI in detecting breast cancer and to assess the impact of double reading. MATERIALS AND METHODS. A total of 116 breasts of 67 women who were 36-89 years old were studied at 1.5 T using an unenhanced protocol including axial Tl-weight-ed gradient-echo, T2-weighted STIR, and echo-planar diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI). Two blinded readers (Rl and R2) independently evaluated unenhanced images using the BI-RADS scale. A combination of pathology and negative follow-up served as the reference standard. McNemar and kappa statistics were used. RESULTS. Per-breast cancer prevalence was 37 of 116 (32%): 30 of 37 (81%) invasive ductal carcinoma, five of 37 (13%) ductal carcinoma in situ, and two of 37 (6%) invasive lobular carcinoma. Per-breast sensitivity of unenhanced MRI was 29 of 37 (78%) forRl, 28 of 37 (76%) for R2, and 29 of 37 (78%) for double reading. Specificity was 71 of 79 (90%) for both Rl and R2 and 69 of 79 (87%) for double reading. Double reading did not provide a significant increase in sensitivity. Interobserver agreement was almost perfect (Cohen κ = 0.873). CONCLUSION. An unenhanced breast MRI protocol composed of Tl-weighted gradient echo, T2-weighted STIR, and echo-planar DWI enabled breast cancer detection with sensitivity of 76-78% and specificity of 90% without a gain in sensitivity from double reading.