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Objective: We investigated the correlations between background parenchymal enhancement (BPE) and MRI interpretations with respect to short-interval follow-ups and biopsy rates. Methods: All accessible MRI examinations from 128 women during a limited time period in 2016 were evaluated. A blinded radiologist visually categorized BPE as minimal, mild, moderate, or marked. A BI-RADS category was also assigned. We used descriptive statistics to report the findings and chi-square and Fisher’s exact tests to compare categories. Results: Prevalence of minimal, mild, moderate, and marked BPE was 14.1%, 43.0%, 32.0%, and 10.9%, respectively. The short-interval follow-up rates were 22.2%, 27.3%, 26.8%, and 7.1% in women with minimal, mild, moderate, and marked BPE, respectively. BPE was not associated with the short-interval follow-up rate (p-value = 0.477). Biopsy rates were 22.2%, 27.3%, 22.0%, and 57.1% in women with minimal, mild, moderate, and marked BPE, respectively. Although there was no significant relationship between biopsy rates and BPE levels (p-value = 0.095) in the total population, these two factors were significantly associated in premenopausal women (p-value = 0.023) and in women of 30 - 39 years (p-value = 0.001). Conclusion: Higher BPE does not correlate with short-interval follow-up rates, but appears to be related to biopsy rate, thus causing false-positives and unnecessary biopsy recommendations, particularly in younger, premenopausal women.

Background: Background parenchymal enhancement (BPE) in breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) potentially correlates with breast cancer (BC). Thus, BPE may be used for BC risk stratification and for monitoring chemo-prevention. Objectives: We aimed to investigate the BPE patterns in benign and malignant breast lesions and in pre-menopausal and post-menopausal women. Methods: In 2017, 128 consecutive pre-menopausal or post-menopausal patients underwent breast MRI with different indications were examined. Subjects with the history of breast surgery, radiotherapy, or chemotherapy were excluded. A 1.5 Tesla device was used with the same protocol, and a blinded radiologist visually assessed and categorized breast BPE as minimal, mild, moderate, and marked. We used frequency distribution, mean, and standard deviation to report the findings. Comparing age or BPE in categorical variables, we appropriately used ANOVA, or Chi-square and Fisher’s exact tests. Results: The mean (± standard deviation) age was 42.43 (± 10.82) years, and 89 (69.5%) patients were hormonally active. Eighteen (14.1%), 55 (43.0%), 41 (32.0%), and 14 (10.9%) patients were classified as having minimal, mild, moderate, and marked BPE, respectively. Age did not change among BPE levels (P = 0.197). Prevalence of moderate and marked BPE was higher in pre-menopausal women. BPE was not associated with breast lesion histopathology (P value = 0.857) in pre-menopausal or post-menopausal women (P = 0.790, and 0.840, respectively). Conclusions: BPE is a measure of breast tissue hormonal activity, and it is not correlated with histopathological diagnosis of breast lesion in both pre-menopausal and post-menopausal women. The data of this study do not support the use of BPE for BC risk estimation.

Objective: Breast cancer is the most common malignancy in the female population, and imaging studies play a critical role for its early detection. Mammographic breast density (MBD) is one of the markers used to predict the risk stratification of breast cancer in patients. We aimed to assess the correlations among MBD, ultrasound breast composition (USBC), fibroglandular tissue (FGT), and the amount of background parenchymal enhancement (BPE) in magnetic resonance imaging, after considering the subjects’ menopausal status. Methods: In this retrospective cross-sectional study, the medical records’ archives in a tertiary referral hospital were reviewed. Data including age, menopausal status, their mammograms, and ultrasound assessments were extracted from their records. All of their imaging studies were reviewed, and MBD, USBC, FGT, and BPE were determined, recorded, and entered into SPSS software for analysis. Results: A total of 121 women (mean age = 42.7 ± 11.0 years) were included, of which 35 out of 115 (30.4%) had reached menopause. Using the Jonckheere-Terpstra test for evaluating the trends among above mentioned 4 radiologic characteristics in the total sample population, a significant positive relation was found between each of these paired variables: (1) USBC-MBD ( P = .006), (2) FGT-MBD ( P = .001), (3) USBC-BPE ( P = .046), (4) USBC-FGT ( P = .036), and (5) BPE-FGT ( P Conclusions: Considering the trends between different measures of breast density in the 3 radiologic modalities, these factors can be used interchangeably in certain settings.

Background: Helicobacter pylori infection is a basic risk factor for chronic gastritis, and gastric carcinoma. Based on some studies, the reason is binding of H. pylori to H and Leb antigens in gastric mucosa. However, some other findings have not determined any association between the infection and these antigens. Because of this controversy and the fact that H. pylori infection and gastric adenocarcinoma are common diseases in Iran, the assessment of the association of H. pylori infection with these blood groups could be valuable. Materials and Methods: In a cross sectional study on 135 adult dyspeptic patients in Mashhad, Iran, from 2009 to 2010, H. pylori infection was evaluated by using the Heliprobe 14C‑urea breath test and the ABO and Lewis blood group antigens were determined by the tube method. Association between the Lewis and ABO phenotypes with H. pylori infection were analysed by Fisher’s exact test. A P ≤ 0.05 was considered to be significant. Results: 68 (50.4%) patients were positive for H. pylori infection. The frequencies of the ABO, Lewis and secretion phenotypes were not significant in the infected and non‑infected patients. We also did not find a significant association between Lea and Leb antigens and this infection. Conclusion: We could not establish a significant association between the Lewis, ABO and secretion phenotypes with H. pylori infection. Diversity of sequences of blood group antigen b‑binding adhesion (babA gene) of H. pylori may be a reason why our findings are different from other studies in other geographic areas.Keywords: ABO blood groups, gastritis, Helicobacter pylori, Lewis blood group, secretor blood groupNigerian Medical Journal | Vol. 54 | Issue 3 | May-June | 2013