Imaging Surveillance After Breast-Conserving Surgery for Cancer With Acellular Dermal Matrix Reconstruction.

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Radiology
• Plastic Surgery

Background:

• Breast-conserving surgery (BCS) for cancer often requires reconstruction.
• MegaDerm® (sheet-type and pellet-type) is a dermal regeneration template used for immediate breast reconstruction post-BCS.
• Differentiating postoperative imaging changes from malignancy is critical for patient management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate postoperative imaging findings in patients reconstructed with MegaDerm® after BCS.
• To analyze the characteristics of false positives and recurrences in relation to MegaDerm®.
• To evaluate multi-modality imaging findings (mammography, ultrasonography, MRI) for MegaDerm® implants.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 201 women undergoing BCS and MegaDerm® reconstruction.
• Review of 713 mammography (MG), 1063 ultrasonography (US), and 607 MRI examinations.
• Analysis of suspicious findings, focusing on those in direct contact with MegaDerm®.

Main Results:

• MegaDerm® imaging characteristics varied by type (sheet vs. pellet) and modality.
• Suspicious findings in direct contact with MegaDerm® were observed in 9/17 false positives and 6/9 recurrences.
• Common suspicious findings included calcifications, irregularities, and masses, with specific patterns on MG, US, and MRI.

Conclusions:

• Suspicious imaging findings adjacent to MegaDerm® can indicate either false positives or recurrences.
• Familiarity with MegaDerm®-associated imaging findings is essential for accurate interpretation.
• Correlation with patient history and follow-up imaging is vital when evaluating suspicious findings.