Role of Shear Wave Elastography in Evaluation of Breast Masses with Fnac/Hpe Correlation
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.64252/jwg9py10Keywords:
BI-RADS: Breast Imaging-Reporting and Data System, BSE: Breast self-examination, DCIS: Ductal carcinoma in situ, FNAC: Fine Needle Aspiration Cytology, kPa: kilo Pascals, HPE: Histopathological examination, USG: Ultrasound, UE: Ultrasound elastographyAbstract
BACKGROUND: Breast cancer globally is the commonest cancer among women. Early detection plays an essential role in improving the prognosis and overall outcome for patients with breast cancer. The present study attempts to understand role of elastography to differentiate benign and malignant pathologies of the breast and its ability to downgrade the BI-RADS staging of the lesion, which may be helpful to reduce the need for unnecessary biopsies of probably benign masses (BI-RADS 3) and the subset of low-suspicion masses (BI-RADS 4a).
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of ultrasound shear wave elastography in characterization of benign and malignant breast masses with fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) and/or histopathological correlation.
METHODS: A hospital-based cross-sectional observational research carried out over a period of 18 months (June 2023 - December 2024) on patients referred to the Department of Radiodiagnosis, Adichunchanagiri Hospital and Research Centre, B G Nagara. US elastography was performed and the measurements were expressed in kiloPascals (kPa). Statistical analysis was performed to correlate elastography findings with HPE/FNAC results.
RESULTS:
- USG BIRADS had a sensitivity and specificity of 93.7 % and 70 % for detecting malignant lesions.
- Elastography had a sensitivity and specificity of 87.5 % and 90 % for detecting malignant lesions.
CONCLUSION: Imaging plays an important role in the management of palpable masses of the breast. The grayscale ultrasound had a high sensitivity for detecting malignant lesions. When it came to identifying cancerous lesions, elastography demonstrated both high sensitivity and good specificity. The combined use of grayscale ultrasound and elastography is useful in most instances to better characterize palpable lesions and arrive at a diagnosis. These imaging modalities help reduce the patient's anxiety and avoid unnecessary interventions in those cases in which imaging findings are benign.
