Differential diagnosis of plasma cell mastitis and invasive ductal carcinoma using multiparametric MRI

Evaluate the potential of multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for the differential diagnosis of plasma cell mastitis (PCM) and invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC).

A total of 465 female patients, including 197 PCM (42.4%) and 268 IDC (57.6%), were examined using breast MRI scanning using routine sequences, dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI (DCE-MRI), diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) and MR spectroscopy (MRS). The MRI features of PCM and IDC lesions were analyzed and compared to the histological results.

Compared to IDC, the PCM lesions were more frequent in the subareolar regions, hyperintense on T2WI (P<0.01) and showed an initial signal increase ≤90%, a persistent and plateau pattern of time-intensity curves, non-mass enhancement, multiple rim enhancements, central hyperintensity on DWI, a higher ADC value, and total choline (tCho) peak negative and tCho peak integral <29.95 AU (P<0.01). The following breast-associated findings were also observed frequently in PCM: Ipsilateral breast enlargement, nipple retraction, skin thickening, peripheral edema and axillary lymphadenopathy. However, no significant difference was observed between the two groups for the shape, border and adjacent vessel signs of the lesion.

Some of the MRI features of PCM and IDC lesions were different. An integrated analysis of these multiparametric MRI features can thus assist in the differential diagnosis of PCM and IDC lesions.