Role of Ultrasound Elastography in Differentiating Benign and Malignant Breast Lesions

Sahil Garg  Garg

Sahil Garg Garg Assistant Professor, Department of Radiology, NC Medical College & Hospital, Israna, Panipat Haryana

Keywords: Breast lesions; Ultrasound elastography; Strain ratio; Tsukuba elasticity score; Diagnostic accuracy

Abstract

Background: Breast cancer is the most common malignancy among women worldwide. Accurate differentiation between benign and malignant breast lesions is essential for appropriate management. Conventional B-mode ultrasonography (US) is highly sensitive but limited in specificity. Ultrasound elastography (USE), by assessing tissue stiffness, offers a promising adjunctive diagnostic tool.
Objectives: To evaluate the role of ultrasound elastography in differentiating benign and malignant breast lesions and to compare its diagnostic performance with B-mode ultrasonography and histopathology as the reference standard.
Materials and Methods: This prospective observational study included 80 female patients with 100 breast lesions. Each lesion was evaluated using B-mode US and strain elastography, followed by histopathological
correlation. Elastography parameters included Tsukuba elasticity score and strain ratio (SR). Statistical analysis was performed using the t-test, Chi-square test, Mann–Whitney U test, ROC analysis, and McNemar test, with p < 0.05 considered significant.
Results: The mean age of patients was 44.26 ± 12.38 years. Histopathology revealed 63 benign and 37 malignant lesions. Mean elasticity scores were 2.11 ± 0.73 (benign) and 4.21 ± 0.61 (malignant), and mean SR
values were 1.68 ± 0.57 and 4.82 ± 1.19, respectively (p < 0.001). An SR cutoff of 2.8 yielded AUC = 0.94, sensitivity = 91.9%, specificity = 88.9%, and accuracy = 90%. Combined B-mode + elastography improved
diagnostic accuracy to 92.5%.
Conclusion: Ultrasound elastography significantly improves the diagnostic accuracy of B-mode ultrasonography in differentiating benign from malignant breast lesions. It is a reliable, non-invasive, and quantitative imaging tool that enhances specificity and reduces unnecessary biopsies in routine breast imaging.

How to cite this article:
Garg S. Role of Ultrasound Elastography in
Differentiating Benign and Malignant Breast
Lesions. Int J Preven Curat Comm Med.
2018;4(3):1-6.

DOI: https://doi.org/ 10.24321/2454.325X.201820

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