[Diagnostic accuracy of mammography and mammoscintigraphy in multifocal breast cancer]

The aim of the study was to compare accuracy of conventional mammography and mammoscintigraphy with the 99mTc-Technetril in the detection of multicentric (MC) breast cancer. A total of 135 women (mean age 52 years) with unilateral simple breast lesions at clinical examination underwent preoperative mammography and mammoscintigraphy. Data of diagnostic procedure were compared with histopathologic analysis in all cases. The present of MC breast cancer was proven in 11 of 135 cases (8%). Mammography detected only one of 11 multicentric cases, while mammoscintigraphy-9 of 11 cases. Mammography showed a 9.1% and 93.5% sensitivity and specificity rates for the detection of multicentric breast cancer, respectively. The overall sensitivity and specificity rates for the detection of the form were 81.8% and 91.1% for mammoscintigraphy, respectively. Confirmation of the distinction between two methods has been attained by Bayesian probability calculation. Mammoscintigraphy proved a more highly sensitive diagnostic method than mammography in the detection and preoperative assessment of MC breast cancer and may contribute to changing surgical management in some cases.