title: Implementation of Elastography Score and Strain Ratio in Combination with B-Mode Ultrasound Avoids Unnecessary Biopsies of Breast Lesions.
abstract: The aim of this study was to evaluate whether the combination of B-mode ultrasound, elastography score (ES) and strain ratio (SR) improves diagnostic performance with respect to breast lesions. One hundred thirty lesions were prospectively evaluated by B-mode ultrasound and strain elastography, followed by fine-needle aspiration cytology/biopsy in 117 woman who were scheduled for regular breast BUS. The median ES (4.5 vs. 2.9, p < 0.001) and SR (4.9 vs. 2.3, p < 0.001) were significantly higher for malignant than for benign lesions. A sensitivity of 90.5% and specificity of 93.2% for the ES (cutoff point = 3.8) and a sensitivity of 87.5% and specificity of 87.6% for the SR (cutoff point = 3.5) were obtained. Elastography combined with B-mode ultrasound improved the specificity, accuracy and positive predictive value. Receiver operating characteristic curves yielded a higher value for the combined technique for diagnosis of breast lesions. Routine use of such a diagnostic algorithm could reduce the number of unnecessary biopsies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Health Center Osijek, Osijek, Croatia; Department of Mineral Metabolism, Faculty of Medicine Osijek, J. J. Strossmayer University of Osijek, Osijek, Croatia. Electronic address: Bojanic.kristina@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Kristina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bojanic
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Health Center Osijek, Osijek, Croatia.
authors.forename: Natasa
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Katavic
authors.affiliation: Department of Mineral Metabolism, Faculty of Medicine Osijek, J. J. Strossmayer University of Osijek, Osijek, Croatia; Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine Osijek, J. J. Strossmayer University of Osijek, Osijek, Croatia.
authors.forename: Martina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Smolic
authors.affiliation: Department of Cytology, University Hospital Center Osijek, Osijek, Croatia.
authors.forename: Marija
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Peric
authors.affiliation: Department of Statistics, Faculty of Medicine Osijek, J. J. Strossmayer University of Osijek, Osijek, Croatia.
authors.forename: Kristina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kralik
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Pathology, Health Center Osijek, Osijek, Croatia; Department of Dental Medicine, Faculty of Medicine Osijek, J. J. Strossmayer University of Osijek, Osijek, Croatia.
authors.forename: Miroslav
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sikora
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Health Center Osijek, Osijek, Croatia.
authors.forename: Kristina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Vidačić
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Health Center Osijek, Osijek, Croatia.
authors.forename: Mirta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pacovski
authors.affiliation: Department of Biophysics and Radiology, Faculty of Medicine Osijek, J. J. Strossmayer University of Osijek, Osijek, Croatia.
authors.forename: Damir
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Stimac
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital Dubrava, University of Zagreb School of Medicine, Zagreb, Croatia.
authors.forename: Gordana
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ivanac
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D044963:Biopsy, Fine-Needle; D001940:Breast / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D054459:Elasticity Imaging Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D016217:Ultrasonography, Mammary / Q000379:methods*
keywords: Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System; Breast lesions; Diagnostic accuracy; Elastography score; Strain elastography; Strain ratio; Ultrasonography