Background Contrast-enhanced spectral mammography (CESM) is digital mammography with contrast agent. This promising new breast imaging method can be used for planning surgical treatment. This study compared CESM versus digital mammography (MG) in evaluating tumor size in breast cancer. Material/Methods Comparison of tumor dimensions in CESM, MG, and histopathology was made. The correlation of these data was assessed by histopathological type, biological subtype, grading of the carcinoma, and patient age. Results The average difference in tumor size between CESM and histopathological examination was 5 mm. The differences in size measurement between CESM and MG were significant (p=0.00). The Pearson’s linear correlation coefficients of CESM versus HP and MG versus HP were −0.01 (p=0.79) and −0.25 (p=0.00), respectively, indicating no differences between CESM and HP based on the lesion size. A weak negative correlation between those values was observed on MG. No relationship was found between the tumor size in CESM and the biological subtype, carcinoma malignancy degree, or patient age. Conclusions CESM is a new diagnostic method in breast cancer. The accuracy of measurement of tumor size using CESM is independent of lesion size, but it overestimates the size by 5 mm on average. The difference is not dependent on grading, biological subtype of the carcinoma, or patient age. They concern the histopathological type, and values are significantly greater in pre-invasive carcinomas.

Background The objective of this paper was to assess the complications following sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) in breast cancer patients using the SentiMag® method. Material/Methods The study material consisted of 368 patients who had received the SLNB procedure in combination with wide local excision (WLE), simple mastectomy or who had an autonomous SLNB procedure in the period from January 2014 to September 2017. The final study group consisted of 303 patients who attended follow-up consultations. Results Sensory disturbances in the arm occurred in 12 patients (9.9%), including 3 patients (1.5%) after WLE and 9 patients (8.4%) after simple mastectomy. Restricted mobility in the upper limb was experienced by 9 patients (7.1%), including 3 patients (1.5%) after WLE and 6 patients (5.6%) after simple mastectomy. Minimal-degree lymphedema developed in 9 patients (7.5%), including 2 patients (1%) after WLE and 7 patients (6.5%) after simple mastectomy. A significant correlation was demonstrated between the incidence of these complications and the number of lymph nodes dissected. A significantly higher incidence of paresthesia and lymphedema was revealed for simple mastectomy with SLNB when compared to WLE with SLNB. Discolorations upon tracer administration were observed in 47 patients (15.5%). Conclusions SentiMag ® is a safe sentinel lymph node identification method used in breast cancer and has a low risk of complications. The rate of complications increases together with the number of dissected lymph nodes and the extent of the surgery. The possibility of temporary discolorations on the skin should be communicated to the patients explicitly prior to surgery.

(1) Background: The purpose of the study was a retrospective, comparative assessment of complications of the surgical sentinel node biopsy (SNB) procedure in breast cancer using the radiotracer method and the SentiMag® method on groups of patients after 3.5 years of use. (2) Methods: The material was a group of 345 patients with primary surgical breast cancer who underwent the SNB procedure with the use of a radiotracer in combination with wide local excision (WLE), simple amputation (SA) with SNB and an independent SNB procedure in the period from May 2018 to January 2021 in the Department of Oncological Surgery. Of the patients who were monitored in the Hospital Outpatient Clinic, 300 were enrolled. The analyzed group was compared in terms of the occurrence of the same complications with the group of 303 patients also operated on in our center in the period from January 2014 to September 2017, in which SN identification was performed using the SentiMag® method. (3) Results: The most common complications found were sensation disorders in the arm, which occurred in 16 (14.1%) patients using the radiotracer method, SentiMag®-11 (9.9%). By comparing the complication rate between the methods with the radiotracer (n = 300) and SentiMag® (n = 303), no significant differences were found. (4) Conclusions: Sentinel node (SN) identification using the radiotracer method and the SentiMag® method are comparable diagnostic methods in breast cancer, with a low risk of complications.