title: [Value of contrast-enhanced sonography in early diagnosis of breast cancer].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the clinical value of contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS) in early diagnosis of breast cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  CEUS was performed in 107 cases of ultrasound BI-RADS(®) category 3 or category 4 small breast tumors (diameter no greater than 10 mm) before surgery. The range, type and patter of enhancement of the tumor and the surrounding tissues were observed, and the time-intensity curve (TIC) was analyzed for TIC curve type, basic and peak intensity, enhancement intensity, rising slope, and enhancement intensity. The results were analyzed comparatively between benign and malignant tumors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The peak intensity, enhancement intensity index and peak time in CEUS were statistically significant between benign and malignant breast tumor (t=-2.310, -2.592, -2.127, P=0.021, 0.010, 0.033), and the intensity difference and rising slope also differed significantly (t=-3.422, -3.388, P=0.001, 0.001). TIC curve type, enhancement pattern, enhancement types and enhancement range were statistically significantly between benign and malignant breast tumor (P<0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Benign and malignant BI-RADS(®) category 3 or 4 small breast tumors differ in the peak intensity, enhancement intensity index and peak time in CEUS. More nodular hyperplasia showed no enhancement in CEUS, and 97.8% of the lesions without enhancement are benign. In enhanced breast nodules, malignant breast lesions show more quick wash-in and wash-out type and quick wash-in and slow wash-out type, and the latter is more common; benign lesions often show a slow wash-in and slow wash-out type. In CEUS, the range of enhancement in malignant nodules is wider than that in two-dimensional ultrasound.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ultrasound, First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510405, China. E-mail: seeyaya@tom.com.
authors.forename: Lishan
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cai
authors.forename: Jianxing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Guanghui
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Ling
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Jiulong
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dai
mesh_terms: D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D003287:Contrast Media; D055088:Early Detection of Cancer; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D014463:Ultrasonography
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media