title: Direct measurement of sound velocity in various specimens of breast tissue.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Previous studies using ultrasound CT or clinical amplitude/velocity reconstruction imaging ultrasound may indicate that cancers differ from normal breast tissue by increased sound velocity. However, only limited experience with direct measurements of sound velocity exists. This study aimed to investigate sound velocity measured directly in a variety of breast specimens.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sound velocity was measured directly by forceps in fresh breast specimens chosen to contain one type of tissue only. Eighty specimens (31 cancers, 18 benign changes of glandular/fibrous tissue, 22 fatty tissues, 5 fibroadenomas, 2 compound tissues, 1 phylloides tumor, and 1 inflammation) were analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Ultrasound velocities in carcinoma, benign changes, fibroadenoma, inflammation, and the phylloides tumor were very similar, with almost complete overlap. In contrary, the ultrasound velocity of fatty tissue was significantly lower. Compound tissues containing fat had an intermediate sound velocity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Sound velocity may add complementary information to echogenicity (B-scan). Because fat lobules exhibit low ultrasound velocity and carcinomas do not, a locally exact combination of ultrasound velocity information and reflexivity information should allow improved breast cancer detection by ultrasound.
authors.affiliation: Klinik und Poliklinik für Diagnostische Radiologie, Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg, Germany. Wieland_Wiewad@hotmail.com
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Weiwad
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Heinig
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Goetz
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hartmann
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lampe
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Buchmann
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Millner
authors.forename: R P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Spielmann
authors.forename: S H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Heywang-Koebrunner
mesh_terms: D001941:Breast Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016217:Ultrasonography, Mammary