• Korean Journal of Radiology
• /
• 제21권4호
• /
• pp.431-441
• /
• 2020

Objective: To compare the diagnostic performance and interobserver variability of strain ratio obtained from one or two regions of interest (ROI) on breast elastography. Materials and Methods: From April to May 2016, 140 breast masses in 140 patients who underwent conventional ultrasonography (US) with strain elastography followed by US-guided biopsy were evaluated. Three experienced breast radiologists reviewed recorded US and elastography images, measured strain ratios, and categorized them according to the American College of Radiology breast imaging reporting and data system lexicon. Strain ratio was obtained using the 1-ROI method (one ROI drawn on the target mass), and the 2-ROI method (one ROI in the target mass and another in reference fat tissue). The diagnostic performance of the three radiologists among datasets and optimal cut-off values for strain ratios were evaluated. Interobserver variability of strain ratio for each ROI method was assessed using intraclass correlation coefficient values, Bland-Altman plots, and coefficients of variation. Results: Compared to US alone, US combined with the strain ratio measured using either ROI method significantly improved specificity, positive predictive value, accuracy, and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) (all p values < 0.05). Strain ratio obtained using the 1-ROI method showed higher interobserver agreement between the three radiologists without a significant difference in AUC for differentiating breast cancer when the optimal strain ratio cut-off value was used, compared with the 2-ROI method (AUC: 0.788 vs. 0.783, 0.693 vs. 0.715, and 0.691 vs. 0.686, respectively, all p values > 0.05). Conclusion: Strain ratios obtained using the 1-ROI method showed higher interobserver agreement without a significant difference in AUC, compared to those obtained using the 2-ROI method. Considering that the 1-ROI method can reduce performers' efforts, it could have an important role in improving the diagnostic performance of breast US by enabling consistent management of breast lesions.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
• /
• 제37권4호
• /
• pp.259-264
• /
• 2019

Purpose: Accurate localization of the lumpectomy cavity during accelerated partial breast radiation (APBR) is essential for daily setup to ensure the prescribed dose encompasses the target and avoids unnecessary irradiation to surrounding normal tissues. Three-dimensional ultrasound (3D-US) allows direct visualization of the lumpectomy cavity without additional radiation exposure. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of 3D-US in daily target localization for APBR. Materials and methods: Forty-seven patients with stage I breast cancer who underwent breast conserving surgery were treated with a 2-week course of APBR. Patients with visible lumpectomy cavities on high quality 3D-US images were included in this analysis. Prior to each treatment, X-ray and 3D-US images were acquired and compared to images from simulation to confirm accurate position and determine shifts. Volume change of the lumpectomy cavity was determined daily with 3D-US. Results: A total of 118 images of each modality from 12 eligible patients were analyzed. The average change in cavity volume was 7.8% (range, -24.1% to 14.4%) on 3D-US from simulation to the end-of-treatment. Based on 3D-US, significantly larger shifts were necessary compared to portal films in all three dimensions: anterior/posterior (p = 7E-11), left/right (p = 0.002), and superior/inferior (p = 0.004). Conclusion: Given that the lumpectomy cavity is not directly visible via X-ray images, accurate positioning may not be fully achieved by X-ray images. Therefore, when the lumpectomy cavity is visible on US, 3D-US can be considered as an alternative to X-ray imaging during daily positioning for selected patients treated with APBR, thus avoiding additional exposure to ionizing radiation.

• Molecules and Cells
• /
• 제42권9호
• /
• pp.628-636
• /
• 2019

Altered genetic features in cancer cells lead to a high rate of aerobic glycolysis and metabolic reprogramming that is essential for increased cancer cell viability and rapid proliferation. Pyruvate kinase muscle (PKM) is a rate-limiting enzyme in the final step of glycolysis. Herein, we report that PKM is a potential therapeutic target in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cells. We found that PKM1 or PKM2 is highly expressed in TNBC tissues or cells. Knockdown of PKM significantly suppressed cell proliferation and migration, and strongly reduced S phase and induced G2 phase cell cycle arrest by reducing phosphorylation of the CDC2 protein in TNBC cells. Additionally, knockdown of PKM significantly suppressed $NF-{\kappa}B$ (nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells) activity by reducing the phosphorylation of p65 at serine 536, and also decreased the expression of $NF-{\kappa}B$ target genes. Taken together, PKM is a potential target that may have therapeutic implications for TNBC cells.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
• /
• 제21권4호
• /
• pp.442-449
• /
• 2020

Objective: To compare the diagnostic performance of contrast-enhanced spectral mammography (CESM) versus ultrasonography (US) in symptomatic patients with dense breasts, while using histology as the gold standard. Materials and Methods: After obtaining approval from the local ethics board, this prospective study collected data from patients with symptomatic breasts who underwent CESM and US examinations from May 1, 2017 to September 30, 2017. We then selected those with dense breasts and pathological results as our sample population. Both CESM and US results were classified by a radiologist through the Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System, and the results were compared with their corresponding histological results. The chi-square test was conducted to compare the diagnostic performance of CESM and US, and the receiver operating characteristic curves for the two imaging modalities were obtained. Results: A total of 131 lesions from 115 patients with dense breasts were included in this study. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), and accuracy were 93.8%, 88.1%, 88.2%, 93.7%, and 90.8% for CESM, and 90.6%, 82.1%, 82.9%, 90.2%, and 86.3% for US, respectively. The p values for sensitivity, specificity, PPV, NPV, and accuracy were 0.687, 0.388, 0.370, 0.702, and 0.238, respectively. The area under the curve of CESM (0.917) was comparable with that of US (0.884); however, the differences between CESM and US were not statistically significant (p = 0.225). Eight false-positive cases and 4 false-negative cases for breast cancer were found in CESM, while 12 false-positive cases and 6 false-negative cases were found in US. Conclusion: The diagnostic performances of CESM and US are comparable in symptomatic women with dense breasts; however, the routine use of additional US imaging is questionable for lesions that can be detected by CESM.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• 제16권10호
• /
• pp.4237-4245
• /
• 2015

Breast cancer is a menacing cancer, primarily affecting women. Continuous research is going on for detecting breast cancer in the early stage as the possibility of cure in early stages is bright. There are two main objectives of this current study, first establish statistics for breast cancer and second to find methodologies which can be helpful in the early stage detection of the breast cancer based on previous studies. The breast cancer statistics for incidence and mortality of the UK, US, India and Egypt were considered for this study. The finding of this study proved that the overall mortality rates of the UK and US have been improved because of awareness, improved medical technology and screening, but in case of India and Egypt the condition is less positive because of lack of awareness. The methodological findings of this study suggest a combined framework based on data mining and evolutionary algorithms. It provides a strong bridge in improving the classification and detection accuracy of breast cancer data.

• Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging
• /
• 제41권3호
• /
• pp.201-208
• /
• 2007

목적: 유방암의 감별진단에서 기존의 유방 초음파 검사나 핵의학 유방SPECT의 진단성능에는 한계가 있다. 저자들은 초음파 컴퓨터진단시스템(CAD: computer aided diagnosis)의 적용에 의하여 유방 SPECT의 진단성능이 향상되는지를 알아보았다. 대상 및 방법: 유방초음파 및 유방 SPECT(Tc-99m tetrofosmin)를 시행하고 수술후 확진된 여자환자 40명(21명:악성종양, 19명:양성병변)의 영상자료를 분석하였다. 유방초음파영상을 컴퓨터분석 소프트웨어를 이용하여 병변의 경계를 분리한 후, 영상의 형태학적 특성들을 추출하였다. 초음파영상에서 추출된 형태학적 특성 중에서 감별능력이 있는 것으로 판단된 특성들을 골라 정량화하였다. 정량화된 형태학적 특성값들을 유방SPECT에서 구한 병변 대 반대측 유방의 방사능비와 판별분석에 의하여 결합하여 새로운 파라메터인 D-수치를 산출하였다. 유방SPECT의 병변 방사능비, 유방초음파 컴퓨터진단시스템의 악성확률 및 두가지를 결합한 D-수치에 대하여 수신자판단특성곡선(ROC curve) 분석을 이용하여 최적 판별 수치(cut-off value)를 구하고 이에 의한 유방암 진단의 예민도, 특이도 및 정확도를 계산하여 유방 SPECT과 초음파 컴퓨터진단시스템의 결합에 의한 진단성능을 기존의 유방 SPECT의 진단성능과 비교하였다. 결과: ROC curve분석상에서 유방암 진단에 대한 성능은 유방초음파의 컴퓨터 분석시스템 및 유방SPECT 각각 모두 우수하였다(area under curve=0.831 and 0.846). 두 결과를 통계적인 방법으로 결합하였을 때 ROC curve분석의 area under curve는(0.860) 향상되었으나, 최적 판별 수치(cut-off value)에 의한 유방암 진단의 예민도, 특이도 및 정확도에는 통계적인 차이는 없었다. 결론: 유방초음파의 컴퓨터분석시스템의 결과를 유방 SPECT에 적용하여 유방암의 진단성능을 향상시킬 수 있었지만 통계적으로는 유의하지 못하였다. 향후 추가적인 연구가 필요할 것으로 보인다.

• International Journal of Human Ecology
• /
• 제15권2호
• /
• pp.33-41
• /
• 2014

The bra is one of the most essential pieces of women's underwear which gives support for the breasts and holds them in position to make better outer appearance of upper body. Despite being worn by most women of all ages, brassiere manufacturers often use brassiere sizes and shapes that are close to the body measurements of women in their 20s, which raises questions whether the bras are suitable for older women's physique. Also, many lingerie markets tend to center on designs and tastes of younger women, leaving those of older women are largely ignored in the manufacturing process despite the fact that their purchasing power and market shares are expected to grow in conjunction with the aging of the global population. Against this backdrop, this study attempts to provide information about bra preferences and breast perceptions of the middle-aged and older US women over the age of 40 years to help manufacturers better understand the bra purchasing priorities and bra elements of older women and prompt them to design bras with a high level of fit and comfort that are appreciated by the population groups as a means to ultimately acquire competitive edge in the fast growing aging market. An email survey and interviews were conducted with 301 US women who live in New York City. The findings of this study suggest that there are internal and external factors such as changes in body and breast shapes with age influence the level of fitness and effectiveness of bra components, and thus the responses to the questions on bra preferences and breast perceptions varied between the researched age groups.

• 대한의생명과학회지
• /
• 제15권2호
• /
• pp.147-152
• /
• 2009

Lycopus lucid us Turcz is well known as traditional Chinese medicine, and it has been shown to exhibit antiinflammatory, -allergic and -oxidative effect. However, its anti-cancer properties have not been examined yet. In this study, we investigated the effect of the methanol extract of Lycopus lucid us Turcz on anti-cancer effect in MCF-7 human breast cancer cells. Treatment of Lycopus lucidus Turcz extract induced apoptosis and inhibition of cell proliferation in dose- and time-dependent manner. Apoptosis in the MCF-7 cells was characterized with the changes in nuclear morphology; decrease of Bcl-2 and caspase-7 expression; and increase of cleaved poly ADP-ribose polymerase(PARP). Furthermore, treatment of Lycopus lucidus Turcz extract caused the down-regulation of cell cycle-related protein including, cdk4, cyclin D1 and E2F-1. These results suggest that Lycopus lucidus Turcz might have the therapeutic value against human breast cancer cells.

• 대한영상의학회지
• /
• 제84권3호
• /
• pp.676-685
• /
• 2023

목적 본 연구는 무증상 여성의 유방 초음파에서 발견된 군집 미세낭종의 발생률, 임상적 결과 및 영상 소견을 알아보고, 적절한 조치 가이드라인을 제시하고자 한다. 대상과 방법 2014년 8월부터 2019년 12월까지 무증상 여성에서 시행한 유방 초음파에서 발견된 군집 미세낭종 병변에 대해 분석하였다. 최종 진단은 병리학적 결과 및 12개월 이상의 추적관찰로 하였다. 결과 100명의 환자에서 117개 병변이 후향적으로 연구되었으며, 군집 미세낭종의 발생률은 1.5%였다. 총 117개의 병변 중, 3개(2.6%)는 악성, 2개(1.7%)는 고위험 병변, 112개(95.7%)는 양성이었다. 악성 병변 중 2개는 관상피내암이었고, 1개는 침윤성 유관암이었다. 이중, 유방 촬영술에서 의심스러운 미세석회화 또는 초음파에서 내부 혈류를 보인 2개의 병변은 category 4로 분류되었다. 나머지는 12개월 뒤 시행한 초음파에서 echo pattern의 변화를 보인 위 음성의 증례였다. 결론 무증상 여성에서 시행한 유방 초음파에서 군집 미세낭종의 유병률은 1.5%였으며, 악성률은 2.6%였다. 군집 미세낭종의 악성률과 양성 및 악성 영상 소견을 아는 것은 영상의학과 의사들이 병변을 분류하고 적절한 조치를 권유하는 데 도움이 될 것이다.

• 대한영상의학회지
• /
• 제81권3호
• /
• pp.719-725
• /
• 2020

갑상선으로의 전이는 매우 드물며, 유방암의 갑상선으로의 전이 또한 드문 것으로 알려져 있다. 우리는 64세 유방암 환자에서 발생한 갑상선으로의 전이성 암 병변에 대한 초음파 소견과 중심부 바늘 생검의 진단적 역할에 중점을 두어 증례 보고를 하고자 한다. 초음파에서는 뚜렷한 종괴 형성은 보이지 않으면서 갑상선의 크기가 증가하였고, 저에코의 선 형태와 미세석회화가 관찰되었다. 이러한 미세석회화 부분을 조직검사의 표적으로 하여 중심부 바늘 생검을 시행하였고, 생검 결과 전이성 유방암으로 확인되었다. 최종적으로 갑상선 전절제술을 시행하여 림프선을 따라 전이한 침윤성 유관암으로 진단되었다. 저자들은 이러한 초음파 소견을 보일 경우 미세침흡인생검으로는 표적을 정하기 어려울 수 있으나, 중심부 바늘 생검을 이용하면 조직 자체를 얻어 수술 전 정확한 진단에 도움이 될 수 있다는 것을 경험하였기에 보고하고자 한다.