title: Serial Ultrasound Findings After Laser Ablation for Benign Breast Lesions on Long-Term Follow-Up: Implications for Evaluation of Procedural Success.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose if this study was to describe the follow-up ultrasound (US) findings of percutaneous US-guided laser ablation for small benign breast lesions, and to define the procedural success.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  There are limited reports on follow-up imaging after laser ablation, because the ablated tumors were generally resected by surgery.
  
  
  METHODS
  US-guided laser ablation was performed on 19 benign breast lesions in 10 patients. The median size of the lesions was 7.8 mm (range, 3-11 mm). The lesions were diagnosed as image-pathology concordant benign by US-guided core biopsy. After ablation, we performed follow-up US with an interval of 3-12 months; the median follow-up period was 32 months (range, 30-36 months). We evaluated the morphologic and size changes by using serial follow-up US.
  
  
  RESULTS
  US findings of the 13 cases followed within the first 6 months after ablation showed hypoechoic lesions having inner hyperechogenicity with or without a hypoechoic center. The size of these lesions during this period increased in comparison with the initial lesion size, and then decreased or became stable on serial follow-up US. On the last follow-up US examination, in 14 cases (73.6%), the lesions were invisible, 4 cases (21.1%) showed scar changes, and 1 case (5.3%) showed a hypoechoic remnant lesion.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  US findings within 6 months after laser ablation showed mixed echoic lesions with increased size, followed by gradual decrease in size. Therefore, the success of laser ablation may be evaluated by checking the changes in the lesions by comparing the size of the lesions with the first follow-up US within 6 months and not the original tumor.
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Radiology, Kyungpook National University Hospital , Daegu, Korea.
authors.forename: Bo Ra
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: 2 Department of Radiology, Kyungpook National University Medical Center , Daegu, Korea.
authors.forename: Hye Jung
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: 2 Department of Radiology, Kyungpook National University Medical Center , Daegu, Korea.
authors.forename: Kyung Min
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.affiliation: 2 Department of Radiology, Kyungpook National University Medical Center , Daegu, Korea.
authors.forename: Seung Hyeon
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Radiology, Kyungpook National University Hospital , Daegu, Korea.
authors.forename: Yun-Jin
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Jang
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Radiology, Kyungpook National University Hospital , Daegu, Korea.
authors.forename: Hui Joong
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: 3 Department of Radiology, Busan Paik Hospital, Inje University College of Medicine , Busan, Korea.
authors.forename: Young Mi
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: 2 Department of Radiology, Kyungpook National University Medical Center , Daegu, Korea.
authors.forename: So Mi
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: 4 Department of Pathology, Kyungpook National University Hostpital , Daegu, Korea.
authors.forename: Ji Young
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: 5 Department of Surgery, Kyungpook National University Medical Center , Daegu, Korea.
authors.forename: Ho Yong
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: 5 Department of Surgery, Kyungpook National University Medical Center , Daegu, Korea.
authors.forename: Jin Hyang
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Jung
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D054023:Lasers, Semiconductor / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D028022:Low-Level Light Therapy; D008875:Middle Aged; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D018084:Ultrasonography, Interventional