Combined molybdenum target X-ray and magnetic resonance imaging examinations improve breast cancer diagnostic efficacy

BACKGROUND: Early-stage breast cancer patients often lack specific clinical manifestations, making diagnosis difficult. Molybdenum target X-ray and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examinations both have their own advantages. Thus, a combined examination methodology may improve early breast cancer diagnoses. AIM: To explore the combined diagnostic efficacy of molybdenum target X-ray and MRI examinations in breast cancer. METHODS: Patients diagnosed with breast cancer at our hospital from March 2019 to April 2021 were recruited, as were the same number of patients during the same period with benign breast tumors. Both groups underwent molybdenum target X-ray and MRI examinations, and diagnoses were given based on each exam. The single (i.e., X-ray or MRI) and combined (i.e., using both methods) diagnoses were counted, and the MRI-related examination parameters (e.g., T-wave peak, peak and early enhancement rates, and apparent diffusion coefficient) were compared between the groups. RESULTS: In total, 63 breast cancer patients and 63 benign breast tumor patients were recruited. MRI detected 53 breast cancer cases and 61 benign breast tumor cases. Molybdenum target X-ray detected 50 breast cancer cases and 60 benign breast tumor cases. The combined methodology detected 61 breast cancer cases and 61 benign breast tumor cases. The sensitivity (96.83%) and accuracy (96.83%) of the combined methodology were higher than single-method MRI (84.13% and 90.48%, respectively) and molybdenum target X-ray (79.37% and 87.30%, respectively) (P < 0.05). The combined methodology specificity (96.83%) did not differ from single-method MRI (96.83%) or molybdenum target X-ray (95.24%) (P > 0.05). The T-wave peak (169.43 ± 32.05) and apparent diffusion coefficient (1.01 ± 0.23) were lower in the breast cancer group than in the benign tumor group (228.86 ± 46.51 and 1.41 ± 0.35, respectively). However, the peak enhancement rate (1.08 ± 0.24) and early enhancement rate (1.07 ± 0.26) were significantly higher in the breast cancer group than in the benign tumor group (0.83 ± 0.19 and 0.75 ± 0.19, respectively) (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Combined molybdenum target X-ray and MRI examinations for diagnosing breast cancer improved the diagnostic sensitivity and accuracy, minimizing the missed- and misdiagnoses risks and promoting timely treatment intervention.