J Korean Radiol Soc.  2001 Apr;44(4):539-544. 10.3348/jkrs.2001.44.4.539.

The Value of Ultrasonography Combined with Compression Technique in Differentiation between Benign and Malignant Breast Masses

• Yoon SK
• Lee KN
• Jung WJ
• Nam KJ

• KMID: 2302492
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3348/jkrs.2001.44.4.539

Abstract

PURPOSE: To determine whether the compression technique is a valuable additional method for differentiating between benign and malignant breast masses.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
The ultrasonographic findings of 95 benign and 53 malignant masses, all pathologically proven, were prospectively analyzed with regard to five diagnostic criteria: shape (regular/irregular), retrotumoral acoustic phenomena (posterior enhancement/posterior attenuation), internal echo pattern (homogeneous/inhomogeneous), compression effect on shape (distortion/no change), and compression effect on internal echo pattern (more homogeneous/no change).
RESULTS
The number of cases of benign and malignant masses, respectively, was as follows: regular / irregular shape: 84/11, 9/44; posterior acoustic enhancement/posterior attenuation: 82/13, 16/37; homogeneous/inhomogeneous internal echo pattern: 78/17, 14/39; distortion/no change in shpae: 76/19, 5/48; and more homogeneous/ no change in internal echo pattern: 71/24, 3/50. For all diagnostic criteria for the differentiation of benign and malignant masses, the differences were statistically significant (p<.05).
CONCLUSION
Ultrasonography is helpful for differentiating between benign and malignant breast masses. The compression technique is a valuable additional diagnostic method.

Keyword

Breast neoplasms, diagnosis; Breast neoplasms, US; Breast, US

MeSH Terms

Acoustics
Breast*
Prospective Studies
Ultrasonography*