ELASTOGRAPHY IN CHARACTERIZATION OF SMALL BREAST LESIONS– A NEW ADJUNCT??

DR NIHARIKA PRASAD; DR PALLAVI RAO; DR SONALI ULLAL; DR VINAYA POORNIMA; DR SUPRASANNA; DR SONALI D PRABHU

Volume : VII, Issue : III, March - 2017

ELASTOGRAPHY IN CHARACTERIZATION OF SMALL BREAST LESIONS– A NEW ADJUNCT??

Dr Niharika Prasad, Dr Pallavi Rao, Dr Sonali Ullal, Dr Vinaya Poornima, Dr Suprasanna, Dr Sonali D Prabhu

Abstract :

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES This short study aims to establish the efficacy of strain elastography in predicting malignancy in small east lesions and to test the negative predictive value of this method in excluding malignancy. Also wherever possible the usefulness of elastography in predicting malignancy in axillary lymph nodes was evaluated. METHODS AND MATERIALS Prospective study on a sample of 40 was conducted on patients in KMC Hospital, Ambedkar Circle in a study period of 4 months mode ultrasonography, doppler, elastography was performed on all patients and compared with gold standard which was histopathology. Cystic lesions were excluded. The lesions were examined on a Logic E7 machine using 9L and 6–14 linear probes. The morphology and sonoelastography with elastography graph were assessed in all patients. B–mode images were assessed according to the BI–RADS system while elastography was analysed according to elastography scoring system proposed by Itoh et al(2006) and images attributed to one of the five elasticity scores. RESULTS Qualitative and semi quantitative approach was used for calculations. Malignant lesions showed elastography score>3 and sensitivity, specificity paralleled those of conventional B–mode imaging. The ROC curve plotted helped to differentiate benign from malignant lesions. Among malignant, most common pathology was invasive ductal carcinoma while commonest benign lesion proved to be fioadenoma. CONCLUSION Strain elastography can be used in cases where B–mode imaging is unequivocal or as a collaborative tool. Its solitary role in obviating the need of invasive procedures like FNAC/biopsy for suspected malignant east lesions although is doubtful .It could also aid in nodal staging of east tumours and choosing the appropriate node for biopsy.