Electrical impedance scanning in breast cancer imaging: correlation with mammographic and histologic diagnosis

Abstract.

This work was addressed to study correlations between histopathology of breast malignancy and variations in depth, intensity, multiplicity, and simultaneous capacitance–conductance features of electrical impedance scanning (EIS), in cases presenting mammographic findings. The EIS was performed in 74 patients. The entrance criterion was the presence of either suspicious or dubious mammography. The EIS evaluation was unblinded to mammographic data. The histologic findings of patients eligible for biopsy (Bi-rads 4, 5, and Bi-rads 0 after re-evaluation) were correlated to EIS and mammography. Depth localization of lesion, intensity, multiplicity, and capacitance–conductance features of the EIS signals were evaluated. There was association between histopathological diagnosis and EIS results. The presence of multiplicity of EIS signal, or simultaneous capacitance–conductance signals, was significantly (p<0.05) more frequent in cases with either suspicious mammography or malignant biopsy than those dubious for mammography or with benign biopsy. There was no significant relationship between depth and intensity of EIS signal. In 15 (20%) cases there was discordance among mammography, EIS, and histology (controversial cases). Six of these 15 (40%) were perimenopausal women. Benign proliferating lesion was diagnosed in 6 of 15 (40%) controversial cases. It is concluded that the multiplicity of EIS spots and simultaneousness of capacitance and conductance signals were attributed to malignancy. Detection of false-positive EIS results was common in perimenopausal patients (40%). Patients with benign proliferating lesions presented also false positivity to EIS. Mammography and EIS had similar rates of false-positive findings in this study.