Evolving role of imaging modalities in inflammatory breast cancer

Imaging plays several key roles in the diagnosis and assessment of inflammatory breast cancer (IBC). These include characterization of the known tumor, delineation of locoregional disease in the ipsilateral and contralateral breast and regional lymph node basins, diagnosis of distant metastases, and evaluation of treatment response. We review the role of conventional imaging modalities, including mammography and sonography. We also discuss the potential of using evolving imaging modalities such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), positron emission tomography with computed tomography (PET/CI), and more advanced or emerging imaging techniques in the assessment of IBC.