BPE on contrast-enhanced mammography: relationship with breast density, age and menopausal status

This retrospective study aimed to evaluate the relationship between BPE on CEM and breast density, age and menopausal status.

Our analysis included all women eligible for CEM as a second-level examination in the diagnostic phase in a 12-month period. CEM were performed on a dedicated low-dose digital mammography unit after the injection of 1.5 ml/kg body weight Iohexol 350 mgI/ml. Both breast composition and BPE were assessed independently by two breast radiologists according to the CEM supplement to the 2013 ACR BI-RADS Mammography. A two-stage ordered probit regression model was fitted to evaluate the relationship between BPE and the other factors considered.

49 patients were included (median age = 55 years, 28.6% premenopausal and 71.4% postmenopausal). Breast composition was classified as ACR BI-RADS a in 4.1%, ACR BI-RADS b in 36.7%, ACR BI-RADS c in 46.9%, and ACR BI-RADS d in 12.2% of cases, by both Readers. A BPE 1 category was assigned in 53.1-55.1% of patients (by Reader 1 and 2, respectively), BPE 2 in 22.4%, BPE 3 in 18.4-12.2%, and BPE 4 in 6.1-10.2%. Higher breast density was strongly associated with higher levels of BPE, while BPE was not directly associated with age, both in fertile and postmenopausal patients. No significant differences were observed between the two Readers.

Increased BPE is associated with a well-established breast cancer risk factor as high breast density, while it was not directly dependent on the other non-modifiable factors considered.