Presentation
Patient presented with a suspicious mass in the left breast
Patient Data
Low energy images show a moderately dense background pattern, with a mass in the left upper outer quadrant.
Recombined images show an absence of enhancement, consistent with a simple cyst.
The right breast is normal.
This was confirmed as a cyst at ultrasound – image shows an anechoic, well-defined lesion with posterior acoustic enhancement.
Case Discussion
Commercially available contrast mammography equipment utilizes the dual-energy technique, also known as contrast-enhanced spectral mammography (CESM),
Two images are produced from each compression: low-energy – equivalent to a standard digital mammogram; and recombined - the background breast tissue is suppressed to highlight areas of contrast uptake.
This case demonstrates the typical appearances of a cyst - an absence of enhancement in a well-defined, rounded lesion. CESM has a high negative predictive value for invasive malignancy.