Semi-quantitating stiffness of breast solid lesions in ultrasonic elastography.
OBJECTIVE
To explore whether strain ratio measurement could semi-quantitatively evaluate the stiffness of breast lesions.


METHODS
From January 2008 to May 2008, 148 patients with 254 solid lesions (183 benign, 71 malignant) in the breast were included in the study. Ultrasound sonography found the lesions and ultrasonic elastography obtained the strain images. By using the strain ratio measurement method together with the ultrasound machine, the strain index of the lesion was calculated. Different depths of breast tissue were selected as the reference. The strain indexes of malignant and benign solid lesions were calculated with the same level of breast tissue as the reference.


RESULTS
The strain indexes of breast lesions were different compared to the same depth of breast tissue and the superior level of fat tissue (P = 0.000). The strain indexes of breast lesions were different compared to different depths of breast glandular tissues (P = 0.003). At the same level of the breast lesions, 212 lesions were glandular tissue, 11 were fat tissue, and 40 were both. In the lesion plane, six lesions had almost no glandular tissue and 20 had almost no superior fat tissue. Compared to the same depth of breast tissue, the strain indexes of benign lesions (range, 0.62-11.07) and malignant lesions (range, 3.12-39.28) were different (P = 0.000).


CONCLUSIONS
Using the strain ratio measurement, stiffness of breast lesions could be semi-quantitated with the same depth of breast tissue as the reference. This method may provide another diagnostic method in addition to the 5-point scoring system used with ultrasonic elastography in the future.
Zhi
Hui
H
Department of Ultrasound, the Second Affiliated Hospital, Institute of Diagnostic and Interventional Ultrasound, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangdong Province, Guangzhou, China.
Xiao
Xiao-Yun
XY
Yang
Hai-Yun
HY
Wen
Yan-Ling
YL
Ou
Bing
B
Luo
Bao-Ming
BM
Liang
Bi-Ling
BL
D002288:Adenocarcinoma, Mucinous / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001941:Breast Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D054459:Elasticity Imaging Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008067:Lipoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D008223:Lymphoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D008875:Middle Aged; D009375:Neoplasms, Glandular and Epithelial / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D016217:Ultrasonography, Mammary / Q000379:methods*; D055815:Young Adult