Mammographic and ultrasonographic features of triple-negative breast cancer compared with non-triple-negative breast cancer

Objective To evaluate and compare the mammographic and ultrasonographic features of TNBC with non-TNBC. Methods A retrospective review of 193 invasive breast cancer patients (TNBC = 32 and non-TNBC = 161) was collected from January 2014 to June 2019. The imaging features were reviewed according to the 5th edition of the American College of Radiology Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System lexicon. We used the student t-test, Mann-Whitney U test, and Fisher's exact test for statistical analyses. Results Mass without calcifications was the most mammographic feature of TNBC (22 of 32, 68.8%) and more commonly found in TNBC than in non-TNBC (p = 0.007). The irregular shape (19 of 28, 67.9%) and indistinct margin (10 of 28, 35.7%) were the most common findings in the TNBC group. However, TNBC lesions appeared as round or oval shape and microlobulated margin more frequently than non-TNBC lesions (p < 0.001). Additionally, the tumor size and histological grade of TNBC were significantly higher than non-TNBC (p < 0.001). Conclusion TNBC has distinct imaging features compared to non-TNBC. The imaging features on mammography combined with ultrasonography can be used to detect and differentiate this subtype from other breast cancers.