title: CEUS helps to rerate small breast tumors of BI-RADS category 3 and category 4.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The primary aim of this study was to explore if classification, whether using the BI-RADS categories based on CEUS or conventional ultrasound, was conducive to the identification of benign and malignant category 3 or 4 small breast lesions.
  
  
  METHODS
  We evaluated 30 malignant and 77 benign small breast lesions using CEUS. The range of enhancement, type of enhancement strength, intensity of enhancement, and enhancement patterns were independent factors included to assess the BI-RADS categories.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the nonenhanced breast lesions, 97.8% (44/45) were malignant, while, of the hyperplasic nodules, 96.8% (30/31) showed no enhancement in our study. Category changes of the lesions were made according to the features determined using CEUS. The results showed that these features could improve diagnostic sensitivity (from 70.0 to 80.0, 80.0, 90.0, and 90.0%), reduce the negative likelihood ratio (from 0.33 to 0.22, 0.25, 0.11, and 0.12), and improve the NPV (from 88.8 to 92.2, 91.2, 96.2, and 95.5%). However, this was not conducive to improve diagnostic specificity or the PPV.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The vast majority of nonenhanced small breast lesions were malignant and most of the hyperplasic nodules showed no contrast enhancement. As a reference, CEUS was helpful in identifying BI-RADS category 3 or 4 small breast lesions.
authors: Departments of Ultrasound, Second Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510120, China.
authors: Jian-xing
authors: JX
authors: Zhang
authors: Departments of Ultrasound, First Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510405, China.
authors: Li-shan
authors: LS
authors: Cai
authors: Departments of Ultrasound, Second Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510120, China.
authors: Ling
authors: L
authors: Chen
authors: Departments of Ultrasound, Second Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510120, China.
authors: Jiu-long
authors: JL
authors: Dai
authors: Departments of Ultrasound, Second Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510120, China.
authors: Guang-hui
authors: GH
authors: Song
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000145:classification* / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged