Evaluation of strongly hyperintense area in breast lesions on fat-suppressed T2-weighted images correlated with histopathology

The purpose of this study was to correlate strongly hyperintense areas(SHI) in breast lesions on FS-T2WI with histopathology and to evaluate the usefulness of the distribution patterns of SHI in the differentiation of benign and malignant breast lesions. MR imaging with pathological correlation was available in 157 breast lesions of 153 patients. The distribution patterns of SHI were classified into seven types. SHI on FS-T2WI was identified in 36 of 157 breast lesions. The irregular and inhomogenous types corresponded to various histological features and were only seen in malignant lesions. The central type corresponded to central necrosis and was only seen in 2 solid-tubular carcinomas. The crescent type corresponded to peripheral fluid collection in the intracystic tumor. The septal type corresponded to fibromyxoid stroma with fibrous septations in the lesions except for one cavernous hemangioma, and was only seen in benign lesions. The smooth type corresponded to mucinous pool, fibromyxoid stroma, and ductal dilatation and did not contribute to differentiation between benign and malignant lesions only on FS-T2WI. SHI in breast lesions on FS-T2WI pathologically corresponded to mucin, fibromyxoid change, necrosis, and ductal dilatation. Evaluation of patterns of SHI is useful in differentiating between benign and malignant lesions.