Rationale and Objectives
To compare the results of two software-based methods, Quantra and Volpara, for volumetric
breast composition assessment.
Materials and Methods
Four hundred forty-five normal, bilateral, two-view, digital mammograms were included.
Breast volume (BV), fibroglandular tissue volume (FTV), and percent density (PD) were
measured using both methods and compared. Deming regression was performed to obtain
linear equations for mapping the results of one software on the other.
Results
The median and quartile ranges of both methods agreed well for BV but were different
for FTV and PD, with Quantra showing much higher values of FTV and PD. The correlation
of results obtained by both methods for BV, FTV, and PD was 0.99, 0.91, and 0.94,
respectively. Intraclass correlation in the assignment of quartiles of BV, FTV, and
PD was 0.96, 0.86, and 0.90, respectively. Both methods showed a similar association
of FTV and PD with patient age and similar left-to-right correlation. Mapping of results
onto each other using linear equations removed the systematic differences.
Conclusions
Although Quantra and Volpara use different models for analysis of volumetric breast
composition and produce different nominal results of FTV and PD, both methods are
highly correlated and show very good to excellent agreement in quartile assignment
of all parameters measured. Both methods show a similar association with patient age
and similar reproducibility. Both methods can be mapped onto each other using the
equations suggested.
Key Words
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Article info
Publication history
Accepted:
December 6,
2014
Received:
July 31,
2014
Identification
Copyright
© 2015 AUR. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
