The correlation between ultrasonographic findings and pathologic features in breast disorders.
OBJECTIVE
Breast ultrasonography has gained widespread acceptance as a diagnostic tool for the evaluation of human breast disorders. It is important to evaluate the correlation of ultrasonography findings with the corresponding histopathological features.


METHODS
We retrospectively reviewed the 154 cases of breast disorders. We evaluated the correlation the ultrasonography findings and carcinoma cells extension with their corresponding histopathological findings. In addition, we also studied the information on estimation of histological types and cancer extension used by the other modalities such as computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging.


RESULTS
The concordance rate for margins between ultrasonography findings and histopathological features was 91.6% (P < 0.001) and that for boundary zone was 87.0% (P < 0.001). Histopathological correlation of internal and posterior echoes demonstrated that internal low echo masses were composed of fibroblastic cells with marked collagenization in the stroma, or the cases in which carcinoma cells proliferated in a monotonous, solid and/or expanding manners. Attenuation of posterior echo was detected in the cases associated with hyperplasia of collagenized fibroblastic stroma. An increased cellularity in the mass with prominent large tumor nests and little fibrous stroma demonstrated the accentuation or no alterations of the posterior echo. The concordance rate of borders was 84.4% (P < 0.001). The correlation between estimated histological type by ultrasonography diagnosis and actual histological types was 87.0%. An overall detection rate of carcinoma extension by ultrasonography was 86.4%. In addition, an overall detection rate of carcinoma extension by ultrasonography, magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography was 93.8%.


CONCLUSIONS
These results demonstrated correlation between histopathological and ultrasonographic findings of the breast lesions is cardinal for quality control or improving the quality of ultrasonography.
Tamaki
Kentaro
K
Department of Surgical Oncology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8574, Japan. nahanisikenta@yahoo.co.jp
Sasano
Hironobu
H
Ishida
Takanori
T
Ishida
Kazuyuki
K
Miyashita
Minoru
M
Takeda
Motohiro
M
Amari
Masakazu
M
Harada-Shoji
Narumi
N
Kawai
Masaaki
M
Hayase
Toshiyuki
T
Tamaki
Nobumitsu
N
Ohuchi
Noriaki
N
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001941:Breast Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D042361:Mammary Glands, Human / Q000473:pathology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011859:Radiography; D012044:Regression Analysis; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D016217:Ultrasonography, Mammary / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards*