title: Sonoelastographic strain ratio: how does the position of reference fat influence it?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to evaluate how the reference fat position influenced the calculation of the sonoelastographic strain ratio.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three hundred fifty-eight breast masses (256 benign lesions and 102 malignant lesions) in 300 women (mean age 47.4 years; age range 17-82 years) who had been scheduled for a percutaneous needle biopsy or surgical excision were examined using B-mode ultrasonography and elastography. The sonoelastographic strain ratio was calculated twice per lesion; once by dividing the strain value of the fat near the mass by that of the mass (FLR 1) and once by dividing the strain value of the subcutaneous fat by that of the mass (FLR 2).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Most (91.9 %) showed a difference of less than 0.5 between FLR 1 and FLR 2 values. Regardless of the position of reference fat, there was no statistically significant difference between the FLR 1 and FLR 2 values (p value = 0.077 and 0.0825, respectively). According to the pathology of the lesion, a difference between FLR 1 and FLR 2 less than 0.5 occurred in 95.3 % of the benign lesions and 84 % of the malignant lesions (p < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The sonoelastographic strain ratio was not significantly affected by the position of reference fat.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Bucheon St. Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, 327, Sosa-ro, Wonmi-gu, Bucheon, 14647, Korea.
authors.forename: Na Young
authors.initials: NY
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Incheon St. Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, 56, Dongsu-ro, Bupyeong-gu, Incheon, 21431, Korea. blounse@catholic.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Chang Suk
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Sung Hun
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Incheon St. Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, 56, Dongsu-ro, Bupyeong-gu, Incheon, 21431, Korea.
authors.forename: Hyun Seouk
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Incheon St. Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, 56, Dongsu-ro, Bupyeong-gu, Incheon, 21431, Korea.
authors.forename: Kijun
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Incheon St. Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, 56, Dongsu-ro, Bupyeong-gu, Incheon, 21431, Korea.
authors.forename: Jung Whee
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Incheon St. Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, 56, Dongsu-ro, Bupyeong-gu, Incheon, 21431, Korea.
authors.forename: Yu Ri
authors.initials: YR
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Incheon St. Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, 56, Dongsu-ro, Bupyeong-gu, Incheon, 21431, Korea.
authors.forename: Se-Jeong
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Oh
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001940:Breast / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D054459:Elasticity Imaging Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D016217:Ultrasonography, Mammary / Q000379:methods*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Elasticity score; Sonoelastography; Strain ratio