Value of conventional magnetic resonance imaging texture analysis in the differential diagnosis of benign and borderline/malignant phyllodes tumors of the breast

Background The purpose of this study was to determine the potential value of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) texture analysis (TA) in differentiating between benign and borderline/malignant phyllodes tumors of the breast. Methods The preoperative MRI data of 25 patients with benign phyllodes tumors (BPTs) and 19 patients with borderline/malignant phyllodes tumors (BMPTs) were retrospectively analyzed. A gray-level histogram and gray-level cooccurrence matrix (GLCM) were used for TA with fat-suppressed T2-weighted imaging (FS-T2WI), diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI), apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) images, and 2- and 7-min postcontrast T1W images on dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI (DCE-T1WI 2min and DCE-T1WI 7min ) between BPTs and BMPTs. Independent sample t-test and Mann-Whitney U test were performed for intergroup comparison. A regression model was established by using binary logistic regression analysis, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was carried out to evaluate diagnostic efficiency. Results For ADC images, the texture parameters angular second moment (ASM), correlation, contrast, entropy and the minimum gray values of ADC images (ADC Minimum ) showed significant differences between the BPT group and BMPT group (all p<0.05). The parameter entropy of FS-T2WI and the maximum gray values and kurtosis of the tumor solid region of DCE-T1WI 7min also showed significant differences between these two groups. Except for ADC Minimum , angular second moment of FS-T2WI (FS-T2WI ASM ), and the maximum gray values of DCE-T1WI 7min (DCE-T1WI 7min-Maximum ) of the tumor solid region, the AUC values of other positive texture parameters mentioned above were greater than 0.75. Binary logistic regression analysis demonstrated that the contrast of ADC images (ADC Contrast ) and entropy of FS-T2WI (FS-T2WI Entropy ) could be considered independent texture variables for the differential diagnosis of BPTs and BMPTs. Combined, the AUC of these parameters was 0.891 (95% CI: 0.793–0.988), with a sensitivity of 84.2% and a specificity of up to 89.0%. Conclusion Texture analysis could be helpful in improving the diagnostic efficacy of conventional MR images in differentiating BPTs and BMPTs.