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Updated: May 29, 2026
Tracking the Mammary Architectural Features and Detecting Breast Cancer with Magnetic Resonance Diffusion Tensor Imaging
Published on: December 15, 2014
Imaging features of invasive lobular carcinoma: comparison with invasive ductal carcinoma
Sung Hun Kim1, Eun Suk Cha, Chang Suk Park
1Department of Radiology, St. Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Youido-dong, Yongdungpo-gu, Seoul 150-713, Korea.
Purpose:
The aim of this study was to evaluate the imaging findings of invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC) compared to those of invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC).
Materials And Methods:
The study included ILCs (n = 27) and IDCs (n = 85). Imaging findings were retrospectively evaluated, according to the BI-RADS lexicon. We compared the imaging findings, multiplicity, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) detection accuracy of ILC with those of IDC.
Results:
At mammography, normal findings and mass lesions were more frequent with ILCs (14.8% and 59.2%, respectively) than with IDCs (1.2% and 44.7%, respectively) (P = 0.009). With ultrasonography (US), posterior acoustic shadowing was more frequently seen in ILCs (59.2%) than in IDCs (15.8%) (P < 0.001). With MRI, both ILCs and IDCs most commonly appeared as a heterogeneously enhancing, irregular mass with a spiculated border. Multifocality was more frequently associated with ILCs (40.7%) than with IDCs (14.1% 1% 0.002). However, multicentricity and bilaterality were not different between the two groups. The sensitivity and specificity of MRI for the detection of multiplicity were 91.6% and 73.3%, respectively, for ILCs and 83.3% and 80.3%, respectively, for IDCs.
Conclusion:
Normal findings, mass lesions on mammography, and posterior acoustic shadowing on US were more frequently associated with ILCs than with IDCs. Multifocality was more prevalent with ILCs than with IDCs.
