A dedicated BI-RADS training programme: effect on the inter-observer variation among screening radiologists

Introduction

The Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) was introduced in the Dutch breast cancer screening programme to improve communication between medical specialists. Following introduction, a substantial variation in the use of the BI-RADS lexicon for final assessment categories was noted among screening radiologists. We set up a dedicated training programme to reduce this variation. This study evaluates whether this programme was effective.

Materials and methods

Two comparable test sets were read before and after completion of the training programme. Each set contained 30 screening mammograms of referred women selected from screening practice. The sets were read by 25 experienced and 30 new screening radiologists. Cohen's kappa (κ) was used to calculate the inter-observer agreement. The BI-RADS 2003 version was implemented in the screening programme as the BI-RADS 2008 version requires the availability of diagnostic work-up, and this is unavailable.

Results

The inter-observer agreement of all participating radiologists (n = 55) with the expert panel increased from a pre-training κ-value of 0.44 to a post-training κ-value of 0.48 (p = 0.14). The inter-observer agreement of the new screening radiologists (n = 30) with the expert panel increased from κ = 0.41 to κ = 0.50 (p = 0.01), whereas there was no difference in agreement among the 25 experienced radiologists (from κ = 0.48 to κ = 0.46, p = 0.60).

Conclusion

Our training programme in the BI-RADS lexicon resulted in a significant improvement of agreement among new screening radiologists. Overall, the agreement among radiologists was moderate (guidelines Landis and Koch). This is in line with results found in the literature.     

超声造影对不同大小BI-RADS 4类乳腺结节的良恶性定性诊断研究

目的:探讨超声造影对不同大小BI-RADS 4类乳腺结节的定性诊断价值。方法:收集2017年10月至2019年5月上海交通大学附属第一人民医院的467例患者506个常规超声定性为BI-RADS 4类乳腺结节,分为大结节组(最大径线>20 mm,198个)和小结节组(最大径线≤20 mm,308个),采用χ2检验比较两组乳腺结节良恶性超声造影特征的差异,依据超声造影特征对病灶赋值评分,构建ROC曲线评价超声造影特征评分对两组病灶良恶性的诊断效能。结果:两组乳腺良恶性结节在增强程度、增强后病灶大小改变、病灶与周围组织显影早晚、是否放射状增强、增强均匀性及有无穿入性血流灌注的差异性方面有统计学意义(均P<0.001)。当小结节组良恶性鉴别评分临界值为2.5分时,ROC曲线下面积(AUC)、敏感性、特异性、准确性分别为0.793、82.67%、60.22%、69.48%;当大结节组良恶性鉴别评分临界值为3.5分时,AUC、敏感性、特异性、准确性分别为0.901、85.42%、80.00%、82.65%。结论:超声造影定性分析不同大小BI-RADS 4类乳腺结节良恶性均有意义,20 mm以上结节可避免不必要的穿刺,20 mm及以下结节仍需穿刺活检除外良性病灶。     

MRI vacuum-assisted breast biopsies

The indications, technique, results and limitations of MRI vacuum-assisted breast biopsies are discussed from a review of the literature. This was initially a home-grown technique and its development was slowed down by several factors. As a result of major technical advances, it has become a reliable and very consistent procedure with a low rate of underestimation. It is now an undisputed technique when suspicious MRI enhancement is seen with no corresponding mammography or ultrasound features.     

超声BI—RADS分级在社区乳腺癌筛查中的价值

目的探讨乳腺超声影像报告和数据系统（Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System,BI-RADS）在乳腺癌筛查中的应用价值。方法对2011年1月1日～2013年4月30日在我院门诊、体检中心及社区作乳腺检查的1588例女性作了BI-RADS分级,并对其中111例经手术病理证实的患者结果与BI-RADS分级进行相关分析。结果1588例女性中,BI_RADS分级：1级3例（O．19％）;2级680例（42．82％）;3级748例（47．10％）;4级132例（8．31％）;5级25例（1．57％）。手术的111例患者中良性肿块71例,恶性肿块40例,与超声BI-RADS分级密切相关,尤其分级为4级、5级的患者,超声诊断与手术病理结果的符合率分别达到76％与96％。结论超声BI-RADS分级在社区乳腺癌筛查中,不但能提高诊断的特异性,而且还可提高时乳腺恶性肿瘤诊断的敏感性,具有重要的推广应用价值。     

Subcategorization of ultrasonographic BI-RADS category 4: positive predictive value and clinical factors affecting it

The objective of this study was to evaluate the positive predictive value (PPV) in ultrasonographically (US)-detected breast lesions of BI-RADS category 4a, 4b and 4c and to find how various clinical factors influenced the PPV of category 4. A total of 2142 women with 2430 breast lesions diagnosed on US as BI-RADS category 4 and underwent biopsy were included. Among them, 452 (18.6%) were pathologically confirmed as malignancy. PPV of each US BI-RADS subcategory was 7.6% (149/1963) for category 4a, 37.8% (68/180) for category 4b and 81.9% (235/287) for category 4c. Several clinical factors were more significantly seen in malignancy of category 4a and 4b, whereas none of the factors showed significance in category 4c. Subcategorization of category 4 is a feasible method in predicting malignancy in which patients’ age, lack of multiplicity and symptoms affected the PPV of category 4 lesions. (E-mail: ekkim@yuhs.ac)     

超声对乳腺实性包块的BI-RADS3、4、5分级与结果对照研究

目的探讨超声BI-RADS3、4、5分级对乳腺实性病变的诊断价值。方法回顾性分析经病理证实的193位患者231个病灶的BI-RADS3、4、5分级诊断的准确性及总体敏感性、特异性、准确性、阳性及阴性预测值。结果总体的敏感性、特异性、准确性、阳性及阴性预测值分别为68.4%、50.0%、68.4%、68.4%、100%。BI-RADS3、4、5分级的准确性分别为95.1%、44.3%、76.7%,各级之间比较差异均有统计学意义（P〈0.001）。结论超声BI-RADS分级诊断准确性不一致,对4级病变的穿刺活检具有较高必要性。对乳腺实性病变进行BI-RADS分级并提出进一步处理方案可细化对病变的评估。     

钼靶BI-RADS系统与病理快速冰冻在乳腺癌诊断中的对比研究

目的对比分析194例钼靶BI-RADS系统与病理快速冰冻在乳腺癌诊断中的差别,以期取长补短,提高正确诊断率。方法回顾性复习194例乳腺疾病的钼靶结果及病理资料,依据BI-RADS分级方法及WHO乳腺及女性生殖系统疾病标准,把进行乳腺病理快速冰冻检查的病例与其BI-RADS分级结果进行对比,分析BI-RADS系统分级与病理快速冰冻检查结果的符合率及可能原因。结果钼靶诊断与病理诊断总符合率96.39%,敏感度为97.62%,特异度为88.46%。结论病理快速冰冻检查结合钼靶诊断结果,可以对疾病有一个整体概念,指导取材,取长补短,能提高诊断的准确率。     

Incremental value of real-time ultrasound elastography in differentiating breast masses

Aim of the work

To evaluate the value of real-time ultrasound elastography (RTE) in differentiating benign from malignant breast masses.

Materials and methods

This study included, whether palpable or non-palpable, 145 sonographically proven breast masses in 121 patients, imaged by conventional B-mode US, color-flow Doppler US and RTE with histopathological analysis considered as the golden standard reference.

Results

Lesions were differentiated into benign and malignant by conventional B-mode US (79; 45.5% and 66; 54.5%, respectively), RTE (80; 55.2% and 65; 44.8% respectively), and histopathology (82; 56.6% and 63; 43.4%, respectively). The mean difference in the mass size was significant between B-mode US and RTE in malignant masses (P = 0.002), while not significant among benign masses (P = 0.153). The B-mode US depicted sensitivity of 92.06%, specificity of 90.24%, PPV of 87.88%, NPV of 93.67% and accuracy of 91.03%, while the RTE showed sensitivity of 98.41%, specificity of 96.34%, PPV of 95.38%, NPV of 98.75% and accuracy of 97.24%.

Conclusion

Combined use of RTE can complement conventional B-mode US with improving its diagnostic performance in differentiating breast lesions with subsequent reduction in the rate of unnecessary biopsies in benign lesions.