Accuracy of Diagnostic Mammography and Breast Ultrasound During Pregnancy and Lactation

Accuracy of Diagnostic Mammography and Breast Ultrasound During Pregnancy and Lactation
Jessica Robbins, Deborah Jeffries, Marilyn Roubidoux, and Mark Helvie
AJR 2011; 196:716-722

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Of 134 lesions, 87 (65%) were in patients who presented during lactation, 34 (25%) who presented during pregnancy, and 13 (10%) who presented postpartum. The presenting symptom for 86 lesions (64%) was a palpable mass. Biopsies were performed for 40 lesions. Of these lesions, four were malignant and 36 were benign. Mammograms were dense or heterogeneously dense in 88% of patients. All four malignancies were BI-RADS category 4 or 5 according to both mammography and ultrasound. For the 85 lesions evaluated with mammography, there was 100% sensitivity, 93% specificity, 40% positive predictive value, and 100% negative predictive value. For the 122 lesions evaluated with sonography, there was 100% sensitivity, 86% specificity, 19% positive predictive value, and 100% negative predictive value

Among lactating and pregnant women, both mammography and sonography had a negative predictive value of 100% and accurately revealed the few cancers that were present in our study group.