title: Three-dimensional sonographic study of breast nodules.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We examined breast nodules with three-dimensional (3D) sonography and power-Doppler to identify new parameters that might be useful in differentiating benign and malignant lesions.
  
  
  METHODS
  Breast nodules in 34 women were examined with a Voluson-GE 730 scanner and a 7.5 MHz linear-array dedicated 3D probe. Each nodule was examined in the B-mode, and its vascular characteristics were evaluated with power-Doppler; 3D reconstruction was used in both studies. All examinations were performed by the same operator, who was unaware of the case characteristics. The examiner classified each lesion as benign or malignant based on B-mode appearance, margin characteristics, infiltration, and blood vessel distribution on power-Doppler; lesion volume was also calculated for T staging. Results were compared with those of biopsies, which were performed on all nodules after the sonographic examination.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Biopsy findings revealed that 29 nodules were benign and 5 malignant. Based on the 3D sonographic examination, 27 lesions were considered benign, and 7 were classified as malignant. Two of the latter diagnoses were false-positives; there were no false negatives (specificity: 93.1%, sensitivity: 100%, accuracy: 94.1%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  3D sonography can be used to calculate lesional mass for T1 staging of malignant breast nodules. It can also reveal wall irregularities in benign lesions that are missed on two-dimensional (2D) scans and the limits of infiltration of malignant lesions. The 3D power-Doppler examination provides a panoramic full-length view of blood vessels supplying the nodule, and the number of vessels visualized with this approach is higher than that observed on 2D studies.
authors: Unit of Radiology and Diagnosis for Imaging, Senigallia Hospital (AN), Italy.
authors: T
authors: T
authors: Abbattista
authors: L
authors: L
authors: Serri
authors: P
authors: P
authors: Busilacchi
keywords: 3D sonography; Breast nodules; Power-Doppler
references: Ultrasound Med Biol. 2005 Jul;31(7):905-17
references: 15972196
references: AJR Am J Roentgenol. 2002 Dec;179(6):1493-501
references: 12438043
references: Radiology. 2001 Jul;220(1):13-30
references: 11425968
references: Radiol Med. 2002 Oct;104(4):253-61
references: 12569306
references: Breast Cancer. 2005;12(2):122-9
references: 15858443
references: AJR Am J Roentgenol. 2003 Aug;181(2):519-25
references: 12876038
references: Neoplasma. 1994;41(6):341-5
references: 7870218
references: Radiology. 1999 Dec;213(3):889-94
references: 10580971
references: Radiology. 1995 Jul;196(1):123-34
references: 7784555
references: Radiology. 1998 Apr;207(1):191-9
references: 9530316
references: Ultrasound Med Biol. 2004 May;30(5):583-9
references: 15183222
references: Eur J Radiol. 2005 Jun;54(3):365-70
references: 15899337
references: Breast. 2002 Apr;11(2):125-30
references: 14965658
references: Radiology. 1999 Apr;211(1):101-10
references: 10189459
references: JAMA. 2004 Sep 15;292(11):1317-25
references: 15367553
references: Ann Surg Oncol. 2003 May;10(4):381-8
references: 12734086