Radial scar appearances on contrast-enhanced mammography

Abstract

With modern technological advances in imaging, radial scars are more frequently encountered in clinical practice. The management of radial scars remains challenging due to associated upgrade to malignancy at excision. Contrast-enhanced mammography (CEM) has a similar sensitivity compared to MRI in addition to lower cost, better availability and fewer contra-indications. CEM is reported to have an overall excellent negative predictive value for malignancy. In this study, imaging of 55 patients with a core biopsy diagnosis of radial scar since the introduction of CEM into local practice was reviewed. Nine patients underwent CEM as part of their diagnostic work-up and these appearances are presented as a pictorial essay to demonstrate enhancement patterns of radial scars on CEM in this cohort and consider how this knowledge may influence management.