Differentiation of breast lesions by measurements under craniocaudal and lateromedial compression using a new sonographic method.
OBJECTIVE
The authors differentiate breast lesions on sonography by measurements in two compression states that are perpendicular to each other.


METHODS
Diameters of 100 breast lesions were measured preoperatively under lateromedial and craniocaudal compression with a new sonographic method. This method uses mammography-identical positioning of the breast and a reference structure for detection of changes of sound amplitude and velocity by through transmission of lesions. Sizes parallel to sound propagation were corrected for abridgement by increased velocity within some lesions. For each lesion, an average length and breadth was calculated by adding sizes parallel and perpendicular to sound propagation in the two compression states and dividing it by 2. An average ratio was calculated for each lesion by dividing the average size perpendicular to sound propagation by the corrected average size along sound propagation. After obtaining histopathologic results, a threshold of ratios and other features that might help differentiate benign from malignant lesions were studied.


RESULTS
Ninety-six percent of the malignant lesions appeared with ratios < or = 1.2, whereas 92% of the benign lesions had a ratio > 1.2. Further differentiation is possible by observation of velocity in lesions with ratios > 1.2.


CONCLUSIONS
Examination of lesions in two compression states that are perpendicular to each other allows discrimination of benign and malignant masses by measurements in most patients.
Richter
K
K
Strahlenabteilung, Auguste-Viktoria-Hospital, Berlin, Germany.
Willrodt
R G
RG
Opri
F
F
Heywang-Köbrunner
S H
SH
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001941:Breast Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D016217:Ultrasonography, Mammary / Q000379:methods*