Breast CT is a novel modality that has not been largely evaluated in a clinical setting. Only recently FDA and CE marked BCT machines have been released, and the number of installed bases internationally is below 10 (although rapidly rising).~Internationally only a few studies on contrast enhanced breast CT have been performed in small numbers of patients, albeit with excellent results. Nevertheless, substantial evidence for this novel modality is still absent. In particular, the correlation of enhancement and histological grade of DCIS, correlation of CEBCT findings with histopathology, and prediction and assessment of primary systemic treatment are open fields for which more substantial evaluation is clearly needed. In this study we want to establish the value of CEBCT in staging of women with breast cancer, particularly those with extensive carcinoma in situ (DCIS), and in the evaluation of women treated with primary systemic therapy.
Contrast-enhanced breast CT is a novel high resolution and fully 3D imaging method to document abnormalities within the breast. I will establish its value for breast cancer staging and in monitoring therapy response.