Ultrasound diagnosis of breast carcinomas

Objective The aim of this study was to discuss the performance and character of breast carcinomas on gray scale and color Doppler ultrasound and to evaluate their value in the diagnosis of breast carcinomas.Methods Ultrasonographic images of 135 cases who were diagnosed as breast carcinoma by operation and pathology were analyzed retrospectively including the size,shape,inner echoes of the tumors on gray scale ultrasound and blood flow parameters as PSV and RI in and at the periphery of tumors on color Doppler ultrasound.Results Among the 135 cases,128 cases were breast invasive ductile carcinoma,3cases were sifter-like carcinoma,1case was medullary carcinoma,2cases were carcinoma in the suit and 1case was fibroma with sarcomatous change.Among the 135 cases,129 tumors were detected by ultrasound with a size of 0.3cm to 3.4cm.The tumors' axial/transverse ratio larger than 1 accounted for 69%(89/129);irregular margin accounted for 70%(90/129).Two tumors were not obvious on ultrasound with local sand-like calcification and abnormal blood flow signals.The sand-like calcification accounted for 51.9%(70/135),color flow signals on color Doppler accounted for 76.3%(103/135).The PSV was 18～49cm/s,and RI was 0.67~0.96.The cases of RI0.7 accounted for 93.2%(96/103).Four cases were missed by ultrasound.Conclusion If rich color flows signals with high PSV and RI are detected in or at the periphery of a tumor,or in a lesion with abnormal echogenisity,breast carcinoma must be suspected.Color Doppler ultrasound plays an important role in the diagnosis and differential diagnosis of benign and malignant breast tumors.