Comparative Study of Pattern-Based Versus Size Ratio Ultrasound Strain Elastographic Techniques on Breast Masses.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to compare the diagnostic performance of strain elastographic techniques involving pattern-based elastography versus size ratio elastography on breast masses. METHODS: Female patients presenting to the radiology department for ultrasound (US)-guided biopsies, fine-needle aspirations, or localizations of breast masses were invited to undergo US elastographic assessments of the lesions before the breast procedures. The masses were evaluated for color score and color map size ratio elastographic assessments with one US machine and size ratio and grayscale strain pattern elastographic assessments with another machine. With the histopathologic diagnosis as the reference standard, the sensitivity, specificity, and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve were compared among the 4 groups. RESULTS: A total of 154 breast masses from 139 women were assessed. The sensitivity and specificity were 0.615 (95% confidence interval, 0.470-0.747) and 0.824 (0.736-0.892), respectively for the color score, 0.962 (0.868-0.995) and 0.765 (0.670-0.843) for the size ratio, 0.904 (0.790-0.968) and 0.745 (0.649-0.826) for the color map size ratio, and 0.635 (0.490-0.764) and 0.422 (0.324-0.523) for the grayscale strain pattern. The areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve were 0.729 for the color score, 0.874 for the size ratio (P = .001 with the color score as a reference), 0.836 for the color map size ratio (P = .002), and 0.556 for the grayscale strain pattern (P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: Size ratio elastography had higher sensitivity and better diagnostic accuracy compared to color score elastography. This superiority was demonstrated on two different US systems, and size ratio elastography should thus be considered over color score elastography in the adjunctive US assessment of breast lesions.

Breast metastasis from endometrial clear cell carcinoma: A case report and review of the literature.

Metastasis to the breast from extra-mammary malignancies are rare, accounting for less than 1% of all breast cancers. Endometrial cancer, a common gynecological malignancy, often spreads to the pelvis, abdominal lymph nodes, peritoneum or the lungs. Endometrial metastasis to the breast is extremely rare, and while there have been isolated case reports of endometrial serous carcinoma with breast metastasis, it has not been reported in the case of clear cell carcinoma. We present a rare case of a 70 year old Chinese lady who had a metastatic endometrial clear cell carcinoma with metastasis to the breast, mimicking an inflammatory breast cancer clinically. We reviewed the current literature and describe the challenges in differentiating primary from metastatic breast lesions, as well as clinical, radiological and histopathological features that may help to differentiate the two. Tumour metastasis to the breast via lymphatic or hematogenous route can affect their radiological features: the former mimicking inflammatory breast cancer and the latter with features similar to benign breast lesions. Regardless, histological features with immunohistochemical staining is still the gold standard in diagnosing metastatic breast lesions and determining their tissue of origin. Breast metastases from extra-mammary malignancies are uncommon and it is even rarer for endometrial clear cell carcinoma to spread to the breast. Nonetheless, this case highlights the importance of keeping an open mind and engaging a multidisciplinary team for the care of complex patients.

Shear wave versus strain elastography of breast lesions-The value of incorporating boundary tissue assessment.

PURPOSE: This prospective study compares the diagnostic performance of strain elastography (SE) based on the elastogram to B-mode (E/B) size ratio to shear-wave elastography (SWE) incorporating assessment of boundary tissue stiffness. METHODS: In this prospective study, 81 women consented to undergo ultrasound (US) elastographic assessment prior to biopsy of their mass(es). A total of 101 masses were evaluated with SE and SWE using a single machine (Siemens Acuson S2000). The histopathologic diagnosis was used as the reference standard. The sensitivity, specificity and area under curve (AUC) were obtained for SE and SWE. RESULTS: The sensitivity and specificity of SE using the E/B ratio was 94.7% (95% CI: 87.6 100) and 81.0% (95% CI: 71.3 90.1) respectively. For SWE the sensitivity and specificity was 73.7% (95% CI: 59.7 87.7) and 82.5% (95% CI: 73.2 91.9) respectively. The AUC for SE was higher (0.878) compared to SWE (0.697). CONCLUSION: SE elastography using the E/B ratio yields diagnostic performance which is superior to SWE incorporating assessment of peripheral stiffness.

Ultrasound Breast Elastographic Evaluation of Mass-Forming Ductal Carcinoma-in-situ with Histological Correlation - New Findings for a Toothpaste Sign.

BACKGROUND: It is unclear as to whether the size ratio elastographic technique is useful for assessing ultrasound- detected ductal carcinoma-in-situ (DCIS) masses since they commonly lack a significant desmoplastic reaction. The objectives of this study were to determine the accuracy of this elastographic technique in DCIS and examine if there was any histopathological correlation with the grey-scale strain patterns. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Female patients referred to the radiology department for image-guided breast biopsy were prospectively evaluated by ultrasound elastography prior to biopsy. Histological diagnosis was the gold standard. An elastographic size ratio of more than 1.1 was considered malignant. Elastographic strain patterns were assessed for correlation with the DCIS histological architectural patterns and nuclear grade. RESULTS: There were 30 DCIS cases. Elastographic sensitivity for detection of malignancy was 86.7% (26/30). 10/30 (33.3%) DCIS masses demonstrated predominantly white elastographic strain patterns while 20/30 (66.7%) were predominantly black. There were 3 (10.0%) DCIS masses that showed had a co-existent bull's-eye sign and 7 (23.3%) other masses had a co-existent toothpaste sign, a strain pattern that has never been reported in the literature. Four out of 4/5 comedo DCIS showed a predominantly white strain pattern (p=0.031) while 6/7 cases with the toothpaste sign were papillary DCIS (p=0.031). There was no relationship between the strain pattern and the DCIS nuclear grade. CONCLUSIONS: The size ratio elastographic technique was found to be very sensitive for ultrasound-detected DCIS masses. While the elastographic grey-scale strain pattern should not be used for diagnostic purposes, it correlated well with the DCIS architecture.

Clinics in diagnostic imaging (147). Male breast carcinoma.

A 51-year-old man with no significant medical history was referred to our institution for further management of a palpable, painless right breast lump that had been gradually increasing in size for a period of six months. Physical examination revealed a firm right breast lump and bloody right nipple discharge, but no skin involvement or axillary lymphadenopathy was observed. Subsequent mammography and breast ultrasonography demonstrated a discrete, heterogeneous and vascular right breast mass with spiculated and angulated margins. The breast mass was found to be an invasive ductal carcinoma on ultrasonography-guided core needle biopsy. This case illustrates that a combination of detailed clinical history, careful physical examination and radiological assessment using mammography and breast ultrasonography may be used to identify cases suspicious for male breast carcinoma that warrant biopsy.