Article Sidebar
Published:
May 20, 2008Article Details
Copyright remains in the Author’s name. The work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution - Noncommercial Works License. Authors are required to complete and sign an Author Agreement form that outlines Author and Publisher rights and terms of publication. The Agreement form should be uploaded along with other submissions files and any submission will be considered incomplete without it [forthcoming].
Material submitted for publication in the SAMJ is accepted provided it has not been published or submitted for publication elsewhere. Please inform the editorial team if the main findings of your paper have been presented at a conference and published in abstract form, to avoid copyright infringement. The SAMJ does not hold itself responsible for statements made by the authors.
Previously published images
If an image/figure has been previously published, permission to reproduce or alter it must be obtained by the authors from the original publisher and the figure legend must give full credit to the original source. This credit should be accompanied by a letter indicating that permission to reproduce the image has been granted to the author/s. This letter should be uploaded as a supplementary file during submission.
Main Article Content
A contrast-enhanced ultrasound study of benign and malignant breast tissue
Abstract
Objective. To determine the diagnostic value of haemodynamic contrast-enhanced ultrasound assessment in benign and malignant breast tissue, using histological examination as the reference standard.
Methods. An HDI 5000 Phillips ultrasound scanner with microvascular imaging software and 2.5 ml SonoVue (Bracco spa, Milan) contrast was used to scan 50 consecutive patients
(32 malignant and 18 benign, 49 with histologically confirmed breast lesions). Time-intensity curves of the regions of interest (ROI) placed over the lesional and normal breast tissues were acquired using QLAB software. The area under the curve (AUC), time to peak (TTP), in-flow gradient (IFG) and peak enhancement (PE) were determined in a standardised manner
for each focal breast lesion and the control/normal breast. IFG and AUC in the periphery, and PE and AUC in the centre of the lesions, differed significantly between malignant and
benign tumours. In a logistical regression model, AUC in the periphery and the ratio of PE at the tumour centre to that of normal breast were independently predictive of malignancy
(p<0.001), achieving a diagnostic sensitivity of 97% and a specificity of 80% in the 41 tumours in which central vessels could be distinguished.
Conclusion. Haemodynamic contrast-enhanced ultrasound assessment can be used to distinguish between benign and malignant breast lesions.
South African Medical Journal Vol. 98 (5) 2008 pp. 386-391
