The Ratio of the Resected Specimen Volume to Breast Volume, as Measured by Three-Dimensional Surface Imaging, Is Associated With Aesthetic Outcome After Breast-Conserving Surgery.

OBJECTIVE: An objective method to predict aesthetic outcomes after breast-conserving surgery (BCS) has not been established. The ratio of the resected specimen volume to breast volume (S/B ratio) may be a reasonable option for this purpose. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We recruited 32 breast cancer patients who underwent BCS. Preoperative breast volumes were measured using three-dimensional surface imaging (3DSI) and computed tomography (CT). The volume of the surgical specimens was estimated by the length, width, and height of the specimen. The S/B ratio was calculated from these values. The association between the S/B ratio and aesthetic outcome evaluated by an expert panel or by patient-reported outcomes was analyzed 1 year after BCS. RESULTS: There was a statistically significant association between the S/B ratio and aesthetic outcome evaluated by the expert panel when we used 3DSI to measure the preoperative breast volume (p = 0.01). An S/B ratio of <12.3% may represent a preliminary cut-off for predicting an excellent aesthetic outcome. This association was not observed when CT was used to measure breast volume (p = 0.09). Furthermore, there was no significant association between the S/B ratio and patient-reported outcome. CONCLUSION: When 3DSI is used for breast volume measurement, the S/B ratio is associated with the aesthetic outcome after BCS. This advantage of 3DSI may be due to the upright position of the patients during the breast volume measurement.