Investigating the usefulness of comprehensive screening using breast shortening MRI in high-risk groups for breast cancer.

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K15601
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 52040:Radiological sciences-related
• Research Institution: Kameda University of Health Sciences
• Principal Investigator: Machida Youichi 亀田医療大学, 総合研究所, 客員研究員 (80766494)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: 乳癌 / 検診 / MRI

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Breast cancer screening incorporating minimal imaging breast MR (abbreviated MR) was performed on 50 women from April 2016 to March 2020. The follow-up of these showed that two cases of breast cancer (one each of invasive and non-invasive cancer) were identified, one of which could only be confirmed by abbreviated MR in the screening. Abbreviated MR also contributed to negative results in two false-positive mammography cases and one false-positive ultrasound case, but in two mammography-negative cases and three ultrasound-negative cases, abbreviated MR resulted in false-positive results.
This suggests that abbreviated MR may increase the sensitivity of breast cancer in screening, but may also contribute to an increase in false-positive cases.

Free Research Field

画像診断

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

当初は乳がんの発症リスクが高い群に限定した短縮MRの有用性検討を行うことを目的としたが、被検者の募集に苦慮したため、発症リスクを問わずに被検者を募る形に変更して検討を行った。短縮MRが乳がん検診の感度向上に寄与しうることは確認できたものの、偽陽性例を増加させる可能性も併せて確認された。短縮MRを広く乳がん検診法の一部として取り入れるにあたっては偽陽性を最小限にするための工夫が必要と考えられる。