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Wk 3, Case 1 - Review

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0:04

I've specifically shown you the pre-therapy.

0:08

I think the case itself had wanted you to look

0:11

at the post-therapy first, but let's look at

0:14

the pre-therapy just in terms of the sheer

0:17

amount of tumor that the patient has.

0:22

Okay, so.

0:23

I'm going to do the subtracted in this case, and

0:26

this is already rotated for us, which is good.

0:29

And I'm just going to window

0:30

and level it a little bit.

0:32

And this would be classic.

0:33

Now, this is the patient, unlike all of

0:35

our other patients, except for the first

0:36

patient, which was a high-risk screening.

0:39

All the other patients have been

0:41

successfully treated cancer patients

0:43

that we're trying to avoid doing too many

0:46

things on because they're all benign post-

0:49

therapy. This is a newly

0:53

diagnosed breast cancer, and I'm just

0:55

going to show you what we're seeing.

0:57

So we're going to start at the top

0:59

in her think, and then scroll down.

1:03

And this is a patient in whom there is.

1:07

Oh, I'm showing you the post-neoadjuvant.

1:10

So let's, I'll go back and

1:11

pull the pre-neoadjuvant.

1:12

But this is a really nice example

1:14

of a young woman who had a dramatic,

1:16

only 39 years old, who had a dramatic

1:19

response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy.

1:22

And I just want to alert you

1:23

to her negative, right, axilla.

1:26

Here, nice, normal, right?

1:28

Axilla.

1:28

These are normal lymph nodes.

1:30

Remember the lymph node-bearing chains.

1:32

I'm sure one of the other doctors has already

1:34

gone over it, but we look at both the axilla.

1:37

We look at the interpectoral region

1:41

and we look at the subpectoral region.

1:43

So, uh, uh, level levels 1 and 2.

1:48

Are here and here, and then the

1:51

intrapectoral and a retropectoral need

1:54

to be mentioned because of the surgeons.

1:57

And then, of course, we're looking at the

1:59

internal mammary lymph nodes, and they are the

2:02

ones paralleling the sternum on each side.

2:04

So, and then we just have a minor amount

2:07

of a minor amount of remaining non-mass

2:11

enhancement in the right breast laterally.

2:13

This right breast is.

2:14

Smaller than the left breast.

2:15

So this does hold true.

2:17

They hurt the affected

2:18

breast, the cancer breast.

2:19

This hasn't been certain.

2:21

This hasn't been surgically intervened on yet.

2:22

But even the therapy itself

2:24

has shrunken the breast.

2:27

So these are the after, and then let me go back.

2:29

Quickly and pull up the befores.

2:32

All right.

2:33

So, um, we're coming down.

2:35

Remember before you may recall that

2:37

the axilla on the right, um, looked

2:41

sort of like the, at most lymph nodes

2:42

looked about the size of this one.

2:44

But now I want to direct your attention to the

2:48

marked lymphadenopathy that is going that you're

2:51

going to be able that you're going to see.

2:52

And it's definitely asymmetric

2:54

with the contralateral breast.

2:56

Coming down, it is all axillary at

3:00

this point, the intrapectoral and the

3:03

retropectoral regions are negative.

3:05

I believe she did not have

3:07

internal mammary lymph nodes.

3:08

I'm going to look as I scroll down,

3:10

but I don't see these are just

3:11

vessels lining up and they stay.

3:13

They stay in the.

3:14

Clue to internal mammary versus a lymph

3:17

node versus vessel is the vessel just

3:19

continues to go down in the internal mammary.

3:21

Lymph node is a little lump tissue.

3:24

And then this is an obvious breast cancer in

3:28

the right breast that has the imaging features

3:31

that are very suggestive of breast cancer.

3:33

Namely, you have a regular

3:35

mass plus-minus spiculation.

3:38

You have a very thick rim.

3:41

Uh, of enhancement at very irregular.

3:44

And then recall that in week one,

3:47

we had, uh, those little, those

3:50

cysts that had very thin rims, barely

3:52

perceptible rims of enhancement.

3:54

Those are the inflammatory components.

3:57

And also, you can have a surgical

3:58

cavity, a lumpectomy cavity that

4:00

has a thin rim of enhancement.

4:02

But anytime the enhancement is thick

4:04

and irregular like this, there's

4:05

something, something definitely

4:06

going on, classically neoplasm.

4:09

Um, and then, um, we have actually have

4:12

direct skin extension, and I want to

4:15

remind you that this would be an example

4:17

of locally advanced breast cancer.

4:20

By definition, we, you may recall

4:23

that in week two, we had a locally

4:25

advanced breast cancer patient as well.

4:27

It was the contralateral breast,

4:29

and it wasn't quite, it wasn't.

4:32

It wasn't this dramatic by any stretch of

4:34

the imagination, but, um, they are both,

4:37

um, we used to call them neglected breast

4:40

cancers in the States, but we no longer

4:43

assign sort of pejorative, uh, term to

4:47

them, but it's called locally advanced.

4:49

They are the most curable.

4:51

They are the most advanced, but curable

4:53

tumors that we see, and we see them fairly

4:55

regularly, especially in the post-COVID era.

4:58

I'm anecdotally seeing them fairly frequently.

5:00

Um, they are relatively easily cured

5:04

actually, with a multimodality approach.

5:06

So this patient, um, is a

5:08

nice illustration of that.

5:10

She received her neoadjuvant chemotherapy.

5:12

It's not just chemotherapy anymore.

5:13

Have a tendency to call it neoadjuvant

5:15

chemotherapy, but remember,

5:16

they also receive neoadjuvant.

5:18

I'm sorry.

5:19

Yeah.

5:19

Neoadjuvant hormone therapy and immunotherapy.

5:22

If, um.

5:23

If, uh, the tumor, um, the tumor in

5:26

particular has a P53, um, uh, pathogenic

5:30

variant, uh, or is affected by that, or has

5:33

a patient that has it, those will often,

5:36

um, respond, uh, to, uh, immunotherapy.

5:39

Anyway.

5:39

So those are the three things in

5:41

the armamentarium of neoadjuvant

5:43

therapy, neoadjuvant therapy, and

5:45

then they are classically treated,

5:48

uh, with, um, mastectomy, although.

5:52

Occasionally, as in this case, the patient

5:55

is even a candidate for breast conserving

5:56

therapy, just because the tumor responded so

5:59

dramatically, it's just, you'd have to get

6:01

all that original skin and everything else.

6:02

So I'm assuming I don't know, but I'm

6:05

assuming that this patient would have

6:07

this patient would have definitely

6:10

gone to that section at our even now.

6:14

Um, but, uh, and one more point about

6:17

neoadjuvant chemotherapy, because that was

6:18

the teaching point for this case, um, you

6:21

do not localize where the tumor used to be

6:24

in a patient who is undergoing, um, breast

6:27

conserving therapy, uh, not necessarily in

6:29

the locally advanced breast cancer example,

6:32

such as this, where there's skin involvement

6:33

and multiple lymph nodes, but certainly in

6:35

the instance of the smaller breast cancer, uh,

6:38

that receives neoadjuvant chemotherapy, and

6:40

there's a whole, there's a certain list of,

6:44

folks that receive it in the states regularly,

6:47

you do not localize where the tumor used to be.

6:50

You merely localize where the tumor now

6:53

is, or the clip where the tumor was.

6:56

In other words, a 6 centimeter tumor

6:59

previously does not require a 6 centimeter

7:01

localization after successful neoadjuvant

7:04

chemotherapy that has evolved over time.

7:08

But that is well established now.

7:11

Oh, I've talked on and on.

7:12

That's way too much talking.

7:14

Okay.

7:14

I'm so sorry.

7:14

Why don't you feel free to ask questions?

7:17

And again, it's a privilege

7:19

to work with each of you.

7:20

I do feel like I know each of you.

7:23

I've even Googled some of you, which

7:24

I probably shouldn't even say that.

7:25

That sounds creepy.

7:26

But anyway,

7:30

any questions?

7:32

Dr.

7:32

Sherry.

7:34

Yes.

7:35

Going back to case two.

7:36

Can I just ask something?

7:38

Um, on the tram case?

7:40

Yes, please do.

7:41

Case of, I've just heard that that line,

7:44

you know, the, the, the line, uh, that

7:47

separates the tram from the native breast.

7:50

That's where most of the

7:51

recurrences come, comes in.

7:54

So when do you start worrying?

7:55

Because with the case that we had, um, there

7:58

was a bit of thickening and lobulation.

8:01

So, um, I thought there was

8:03

something there, but clearly not.

8:06

So when do you start worrying?

8:07

Um, Yes.

8:09

Yes.

8:09

I, I think that is a tough question.

8:13

Question I must say.

8:14

So, um, I think it's a case

8:17

where, um, um, not so much Mr.

8:20

Honestly, but mammogram and

8:21

ultrasound can be extremely helpful.

8:23

Um, I wouldn't necessarily pursue it with Mr.

8:26

Although I.

8:27

Admittedly, if MR is the modality you're

8:30

looking at first, because the patient is

8:31

being high-risk screened or something,

8:33

then you've got to sort it out.

8:34

So that would be one that I would go on to MR.

8:37

It's called MR-directed.

8:37

We just call it second-look ultrasound,

8:38

but now it's just called or

8:41

second-look mammogram or whatever.

8:42

But now it's called MR-directed.

8:43

So, uh, MR-directed

8:44

mammogram and or ultrasound and, um,

8:50

Interestingly, the breast cancer

8:53

recurrences look very much like the

8:55

originals and, uh, and the fat necrosis,

8:58

doesn't classically look like that.

8:59

The fat necrosis is hyperechoic.

9:02

Uh, the fat necrosis on mammogram

9:04

will in fact have low density.

9:06

I'm not saying that there aren't some fat

9:08

necrosis instances that are, of course,

9:10

speculated masses, and there aren't

9:12

some that are, of course, hypoecoic on

9:15

ultrasound, because both of those are true.

9:17

But, um, you can use.

9:19

Um, adjuvant, um, uh, you can use, um,

9:23

the, uh, the diagnostic mammogram and,

9:26

um, mam and ultrasound to your advantage.

9:29

Also, remember, counsel and assist

9:32

your technologist that entire breast.

9:35

Um, that trend does not need

9:37

to be imaged in its entirety.

9:38

You are going specific to a site of concern.

9:42

Hello, Dr.

9:43

Burns.

9:44

She has a question about enemy.

9:45

Does it affect your staging?

9:47

Actually, you know, the does not affect

9:50

our staging in the state because the

9:53

staging of breast cancer is determined.

9:58

By the invasive component, uh,

10:01

that being said, the non invasive

10:04

component does need to be removed.

10:06

So, uh, there, there in lies the rub, right?

10:09

You can have a quote stage 1

10:11

disease that has a lot of enemy.

10:14

And once you know that you have to, you do

10:16

have to sort of work through the NME because

10:19

the NME is DCIS then it needs to be removed.

10:21

So the answer is ironically, it does not

10:24

affect your staging, not the true staging

10:27

of the breast cancer, but it does affect

10:30

the surgical management and it does affect.

10:33

The in between maneuvers that you as the

10:35

interpreting physician need to make you a need

10:37

to alert the alert of those involved as to

10:41

the, as to the presence of enemy, it needs to

10:44

be pursued with the diagnostic is classically

10:47

a 2nd, the more directed slash 2nd, direct.

10:51

Second look diagnostic mammogram to see

10:54

if there's something that bugs everybody.

10:57

Also, the I'd look back at the

10:59

original tumor biopsy if the original

11:02

tumor biopsy has DC is in it.

11:04

Also, there are some new this is like an

11:06

answer that you weren't expecting all this

11:08

I'm sorry, Martha, but sorry about this.

11:10

But, uh, also there are some, uh, types of

11:14

DCIS no capillary that just scoot everywhere.

11:18

They just, it scoots everywhere.

11:20

So, um, the, some of the garden

11:22

variety papillary, uh, I'm sorry.

11:24

Some of the garden variety DCIS is, you

11:26

don't have to be as concerned about, but if

11:28

your original tumor biopsy has a papillary

11:30

DCIS in it, then your NME on Uh, M.

11:34

R.

11:35

Probably is.

11:35

So all to say occasionally, uh,

11:40

and now that we've all gotten

11:41

better and faster, honestly, at M.

11:43

R.

11:43

biopsies, I find that being requested

11:46

by the surgeons more frequently.

11:48

We are, in fact, going to M.

11:50

R.

11:50

directed biopsy, or I'm sorry, M.

11:52

R.

11:53

guided biopsy to.

11:55

Uh, confirm or, um, disprove that the NME is

11:59

malignant because it affects so how they manage

12:01

the patient in terms of their surgical size, i.

12:04

e.

12:04

the whole oncoplasty and good outcomes.

12:07

You know, surgeons are

12:08

very concerned about that.

12:09

It's no longer, it's no

12:11

longer a slash and burn case.

12:12

That's for sure.

12:13

Much more nuanced, um, surgical,

12:16

uh, interventions being pursued.

Report

HISTORY: 39-year-old woman with a history of recently diagnosed locally advanced right breast cancer with skin invasion and axillary nodal metastases.

Summary of prior imaging:

Mammography: Patient presented with a palpable abnormality in the right breast and axilla. Diagnostic mammogram demonstrated a 57 x 42 x 67 mm oval mass with circumscribed margins and associated skin thickening at 11:00 anterior depth.

Ultrasound: Subsequent ultrasound demonstrated a correlating 57 x 53 x 57 mm irregular, hypoechoic mass with angular margins at 11:00 5 cm from the nipple. The mass invades the dermis. Morphologically abnormal axillary lymph nodes are also identified.

Previous Breast MRI:
Extending from 9 to 12:00 in the upper outer right breast anterior to middle depth, there is a 6.3 cm (CC) irregular mass with irregular margins and rim internal enhancement. Worst curve kinetics are initial phase rapid and delayed phase washout. There is central decreased enhancement compatible with necrosis. The mass invades the adjacent dermis. There is focal susceptibility artifact at the superior lateral aspect of the mass compatible with a biopsy clip. There are two small adjacent masses or intramammary lymph nodes at the posterior superior aspect of the mass compatible with satellite lesions. There are multiple abnormal level I axillary lymph nodes, the largest of which contains focal susceptibility artifact compatible with a biopsy clip. Abnormal level II axillary adenopathy is also demonstrated.

FINDINGS

Quality control issues: ☒None ☐Poor/lack contrast bolus ☐Poor fat suppression
☐Susceptibility ☐Movement ☐Other

Background Parenchymal Enhancement: Moderate

Amount of Fibroglandular Tissue: Heterogenous glandular tissue

LEFT BREAST
Narrative: Negative. No suspicious enhancement or lymphadenopathy.

Associated findings LEFT breast: ☐Nipple retraction, ☐Nipple involvement, ☐Skin
retraction, ☐Skin thickening, ☐Skin invasion-direct, ☐Skin invasion-inflammatory,
☐Pectoral muscle invasion, ☐Chest wall invasion, ☐ Architectural distortion

Non-enhancing findings LEFT breast: ☐High ductal signal pre contrast T1, ☐Cyst(s), ☐Hematoma/seroma, ☐Post therapy skin/trabecular thickening, ☐Non-enhancing mass, ☐Architectural distortion, ☐Signal void from clips

Fat containing lesions LEFT: ☐Fat necrosis, ☐Hamartoma, ☐Post-operative
seroma/hematoma with fat

Lymph nodes LEFT: ☒Normal axillary, ☐Abnormal axillary: description, ☐ Abnormal internal mammary: description

RIGHT BREAST

Narrative:
Marked decrease in size of the biopsy proven right breast malignancy, with minimal remaining enhancement. The mass measures up to 2.4 cm (AP). There is trace remaining skin enhancement, and minimal skin retraction. The right axillary adenopathy has normalized with all previously identified abnormal nodes, now normal in appearance. There is a left chest wall port in place.

Right breast lesion 1
Lesion type: Mass
2.4 cm. Upper outer Quadrant. 10:00 Radian. 5 cm from the nipple
Mass/post-surgical change: Shape:Irregular. Margins:Not circumscribed-irregular, Enhancement: Heterogeneous. Kinetics: Does not meet threshold

BI-RADS:6: Known biopsy-proven malignancy – Appropriate action should be taken

Associated findings RIGHT breast: ☐Nipple retraction, ☐Nipple involvement, ☒Skin retraction, ☐Skin thickening, ☐Skin invasion-direct, ☐Skin invasion-inflammatory, ☐Pectoral muscle invasion, ☐Chest wall invasion, ☐ Architectural distortion

Non-enhancing findings RIGHT breast: ☐High ductal signal pre contrast T1, ☐Cyst(s), ☐Hematoma/seroma, ☐Post therapy skin/trabecular thickening, ☐Non-enhancing mass, ☐Architectural distortion, ☒Signal void from clips

Fat containing lesions RIGHT: ☐Fat necrosis, ☐Hamartoma, ☐Post-operative
seroma/hematoma with fat

Lymph nodes RIGHT: ☒Normal axillary, ☐Abnormal axillary: ☐ Abnormal internal mammary

Extramammary findings: Left chest wall port.

SUMMARY:
1) Marked interval decrease in size and enhancement of the biopsy-proven malignancy in the right breast compatible with treatment effect, now measuring up to 2.4 cm with trace remaining skin enhancement and retraction.
2) Resolved right axillary adenopathy.

RECOMMENDATIONS: Follow up with the surgeon or medical oncologist is recommended.

RIGHT BI-RADS: 6: Known biopsy-proven malignancy: Surgical excision when clinically appropriate
LEFT BI-RADS: 1: Negative: Routine breast MRI screening if cumulative lifetime risk =>20%

HISTORY: 39-year-old woman with a history of recently diagnosed locally advanced right breast cancer with skin invasion and axillary nodal metastases.

Summary of prior imaging:

Mammography: Patient presented with a palpable abnormality in the right breast and axilla. Diagnostic mammogram demonstrated a 57 x 42 x 67 mm oval mass with circumscribed margins and associated skin thickening at 11:00 anterior depth.

Ultrasound: Subsequent ultrasound demonstrated a correlating 57 x 53 x 57 mm irregular, hypoechoic mass with angular margins at 11:00 5 cm from the nipple. The mass invades the dermis. Morphologically abnormal axillary lymph nodes are also identified.

Previous Breast MRI:
Extending from 9 to 12:00 in the upper outer right breast anterior to middle depth, there is a 6.3 cm (CC) irregular mass with irregular margins and rim internal enhancement. Worst curve kinetics are initial phase rapid and delayed phase washout. There is central decreased enhancement compatible with necrosis. The mass invades the adjacent dermis. There is focal susceptibility artifact at the superior lateral aspect of the mass compatible with a biopsy clip. There are two small adjacent masses or intramammary lymph nodes at the posterior superior aspect of the mass compatible with satellite lesions. There are multiple abnormal level I axillary lymph nodes, the largest of which contains focal susceptibility artifact compatible with a biopsy clip. Abnormal level II axillary adenopathy is also demonstrated.

FINDINGS

Quality control issues: ☒None ☐Poor/lack contrast bolus ☐Poor fat suppression
☐Susceptibility ☐Movement ☐Other

Background Parenchymal Enhancement: Moderate

Amount of Fibroglandular Tissue: Heterogenous glandular tissue

LEFT BREAST
Narrative: Negative. No suspicious enhancement or lymphadenopathy.

Associated findings LEFT breast: ☐Nipple retraction, ☐Nipple involvement, ☐Skin
retraction, ☐Skin thickening, ☐Skin invasion-direct, ☐Skin invasion-inflammatory,
☐Pectoral muscle invasion, ☐Chest wall invasion, ☐ Architectural distortion

Non-enhancing findings LEFT breast: ☐High ductal signal pre contrast T1, ☐Cyst(s), ☐Hematoma/seroma, ☐Post therapy skin/trabecular thickening, ☐Non-enhancing mass, ☐Architectural distortion, ☐Signal void from clips

Fat containing lesions LEFT: ☐Fat necrosis, ☐Hamartoma, ☐Post-operative
seroma/hematoma with fat

Lymph nodes LEFT: ☒Normal axillary, ☐Abnormal axillary: description, ☐ Abnormal internal mammary: description

RIGHT BREAST

Narrative:
Marked decrease in size of the biopsy proven right breast malignancy, with minimal remaining enhancement. The mass measures up to 2.4 cm (AP). There is trace remaining skin enhancement, and minimal skin retraction. The right axillary adenopathy has normalized with all previously identified abnormal nodes, now normal in appearance. There is a left chest wall port in place.

Right breast lesion 1
Lesion type: Mass
2.4 cm. Upper outer Quadrant. 10:00 Radian. 5 cm from the nipple
Mass/post-surgical change: Shape:Irregular. Margins:Not circumscribed-irregular, Enhancement: Heterogeneous. Kinetics: Does not meet threshold

BI-RADS:6: Known biopsy-proven malignancy – Appropriate action should be taken

Associated findings RIGHT breast: ☐Nipple retraction, ☐Nipple involvement, ☒Skin retraction, ☐Skin thickening, ☐Skin invasion-direct, ☐Skin invasion-inflammatory, ☐Pectoral muscle invasion, ☐Chest wall invasion, ☐ Architectural distortion

Non-enhancing findings RIGHT breast: ☐High ductal signal pre contrast T1, ☐Cyst(s), ☐Hematoma/seroma, ☐Post therapy skin/trabecular thickening, ☐Non-enhancing mass, ☐Architectural distortion, ☒Signal void from clips

Fat containing lesions RIGHT: ☐Fat necrosis, ☐Hamartoma, ☐Post-operative
seroma/hematoma with fat

Lymph nodes RIGHT: ☒Normal axillary, ☐Abnormal axillary: ☐ Abnormal internal mammary

Extramammary findings: Left chest wall port.

SUMMARY:
1) Marked interval decrease in size and enhancement of the biopsy-proven malignancy in the right breast compatible with treatment effect, now measuring up to 2.4 cm with trace remaining skin enhancement and retraction.
2) Resolved right axillary adenopathy.

RECOMMENDATIONS: Follow up with the surgeon or medical oncologist is recommended.

RIGHT BI-RADS: 6: Known biopsy-proven malignancy: Surgical excision when clinically appropriate
LEFT BI-RADS: 1: Negative: Routine breast MRI screening if cumulative lifetime risk =>20%

Case Discussion

Faculty

Petra J Lewis, MBBS

Professor of Radiology and OBGYN

Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center & Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth

Sheryl G. Jordan, MD

Professor, Department of Radiology

University of North Carolina School of Medicine

Ryan W. Woods, MD, MPH

Assistant Professor of Radiology

University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health

Tags

Women's Health

MRI

Breast

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