Application of the breast imaging reporting and data system final assessment system in sonography of palpable breast lesions and reconsideration of the modified triple test.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of our study was to evaluate the utility of the American College of Radiology's Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) sonographic final assessment system and palpation-guided fine-needle aspiration (FNA) for evaluation of palpable breast lesions.


METHODS
Our computerized database identified 160 palpable lesions of the breast in which follow-up palpation-guided FNA, targeted sonography, and pathologic confirmation were performed. We used BI-RADS sonographic data on all lesions. The sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of malignancy were calculated for sonography and palpation-guided FNA. Two-sample binomial proportion tests were used as the statistical analysis (P<.05).


RESULTS
The FNA results were defined as benign, atypical cells, suspicious for malignancy, malignancy, and insufficiency. The sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value were 90.9%, 82.7%, 84.3%, 57.7%, and 97.2%, respectively, on sonography and 75.8% to 90.9%, 82.7% to 98.4%, 84.3% to 94.4%, 57.7% to 92.6%, and 93.9% to 97.2% on FNA. There was no statistically significant difference for sensitivity and negative predictive value between the two examinations.


CONCLUSIONS
The diagnostic accuracy of sonography was similar to that of palpation-guided FNA for not missing the malignancy. Clinical application of FNA results can be difficult, especially when the result is insufficiency or atypical cells. Moreover, FNA is invasive and overlaps other procedures. Therefore, we conclude that sonography can replace palpation-guided FNA for diagnosis of palpable lesions of the breast when the BI-RADS sonographic final assessment system is used appropriately.
Kwak
Jin Young
JY
Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Research Institute of Radiological Science, Yonsei University College of Medicine, 134 Shinchon-Dong, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul 120-752, Korea.
Kim
Eun-Kyung
EK
Park
Hai-Lin
HL
Kim
Ji-Young
JY
Oh
Ki Keun
KK
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D044963:Biopsy, Fine-Needle / Q000379:methods; D001941:Breast Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008327:Mammography; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D016217:Ultrasonography, Mammary / Q000592:standards