Publication:

Correlation between radiological imaging and histopathological findings in patients with breast lump

Background Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women globally and the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths, after lung cancer. Early detection via routine screening is crucial, as not all breast lumps are cancerous and benign lumps do not always progress to cancer. To improve diagnostic accuracy, a triple assessment approach is used, combining radiological imaging, pathological diagnosis, and clinical examination. Techniques such as mammography, ultrasonography, and fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) are key to this evaluation. This study assesses the breast imaging reporting and data system (BIRADS) scoring system’s diagnostic accuracy by comparing radiological techniques with histopathological findings.

Methods The study involved 100 patients with breast lumps, categorised into three groups based on BIRADS scores: group A (BIRADS I-III), group B (BIRADS IV), and group C (BIRADS V). Data analysis using chi-square and student’s t tests were done.

Results In our study we found that accuracy of BIRADS score: sensitivity: 88.9%, specificity: 89.5%, positive predictive value: 97.3%, negative predictive value: 65.4% and diagnostic accuracy: 81%.

Conclusions The study demonstrated a high incidence of fibroadenoma (66%), others (3%) as benign cases and invasive ductal carcinoma (31%) malignant cases. The study highlights the importance of accurate diagnosis and targeted screening, especially in high-risk groups such as postmenopausal women and those with a family history of breast cancer. The findings affirm the high sensitivity and specificity of the BIRADS system as a valuable diagnostic tool.