The Effect of Breast Implants on Mammogram Outcomes

Abstract

Breast cancer detection in women with implants has been questioned. We sought to evaluate the impact of breast implants on mammographic outcomes. A retrospective review of women undergoing mammography between March 1 and October 30, 2013 was performed. Demographic characteristics and mammogram results were compared between women with and without breast implants. Overall, 4.8 per cent of 1863 women identified during the study period had breast implants. Median age was 59 years (26–93). Women with implants were younger (53.9 vs 59.2 years, P < 0.0001), had lower body mass index (25.4 vs 28.9, P < 0.0001), and were more likely to have dense breast tissue (72.1% vs 56.4%, P = 0.004) than those without. There were no statistically significant differences with regards to Breast Imaging Recording and Data System 0 score (13.3% with implants vs 21.4% without), call back exam (18.9% with vs 24.1% without), time to resolution of abnormal imaging (58.6 days with vs 43.3 without), or cancer detection rate (0% with implants vs 1.0% without). Because implants did not significantly affect mammogram results, women with implants should be reassured that mammography remains useful in detecting cancer. However, future research is required to determine whether lower call back rates and longer time to resolution of imaging findings contribute to delays in diagnosis in patients with implants.

Breast implant illness: a topic in review

“…These reports were fundamentally flawed, considering that most included many women who underwent screening mammography without utilization of the Eklund implant displacement technique (45). While the sensitivity of screening mammography may be reduced by the presence of breast implants, there is clear scientific evidence to support that this patient population does not present with more advanced stages of breast cancer or suffer from lower survival rates following diagnosis (19,21,(46)(47)(48)(49)(50).…”

Breast Implants

“…4). 45 However, it lacks sensitivity and specificity for intracapsular rupture and is less effective for implant screening than MRI (Fig. 5).…”

Implantate der weiblichen Brust – Teil 1: Normalbefund in der MRT

“…Zudem finden sich bei der extrakapsulären Ruptur gelegentlich auch vergrößerte lokoregionäre Lymphknoten in der Axilla. Der Einsatz der Mammografie wird im Rahmen von Früherkennungsuntersuchungen bei Frauen mit Implantaten von den verschiedenen Fachgesellschaften und Arbeitsgruppen empfohlen [21][22][23]. Für diesen Einsatz werden für die Mammografie Spezialeinstellungen beschrieben, bei denen das Drüsengewebe ventral des Implantats durch das Kompressionspaddel erfasst und komprimiert wird, während das Implantat selbst möglichst weit in Richtung Thoraxwand verschoben wird (sog.…”