title: Shear-wave elastography in invasive ductal carcinoma: correlation between quantitative maximum elasticity value and detailed pathological findings.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Further information is needed regarding whether histopathological characteristics affect breast tumor elasticity.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether maximum elasticity values vary according to tumor-stroma ratio, dominant stroma type, or presence of fibrosis in invasive breast cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study included 71 patients with invasive ductal carcinoma not otherwise specified (IDC NOS) who underwent breast shear-wave elastography (SWE). Maximum elasticity (Emax) values were retrospectively correlated with pathological findings that included tumor-stroma ratio, dominant stroma type (collagen, fibroblast, lymphocyte), and fibrosis. Multiple linear regression analysis was performed to determine variables independently associated with Emax.
  
  
  RESULTS
  High histologic grade was significantly correlated with higher Emax (P = 0.042). Estrogen receptor and progesterone receptor expression negatively correlated with high elasticity values (P = 0.013 and P = 0.03, respectively). Breast cancers that exhibited higher cellularity demonstrated a greater level of stiffness that was not statistically significant (ρ = 0.153; P = 0.193). While dominant stroma type and fibrosis did not affect Emax (P = 0.197 and P = 0.598, respectively), lesion size was significantly associated with Emax (ρ = 0.474, P < 0.001). On multivariate analysis, only lesion size was significantly associated with Emax (P < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The composition of tumors did not affect their Emax.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Eun Yoon
authors.initials: EY
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea mathilda0330@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Eun Sook
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Ko
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Boo-Kyung
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Han
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Medicine, Dong-A University School of Medicine, Busan, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Rock Bum
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Sooyoun
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Ji Soo
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Soo Yeon
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Hahn
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D018270:Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D054459:Elasticity Imaging Techniques; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016217:Ultrasonography, Mammary / Q000379:methods*
keywords: Breast; breast cancer; elastography; shear-wave elastography; tumor stroma