• Korean Journal of Radiology
• /
• v.22 no.5
• /
• pp.677-687
• /
• 2021

Microvascular ultrasound (US) techniques are advanced Doppler techniques that provide high sensitivity and spatial resolution for detailed visualization of low-flow vessels. Microvascular US imaging can be applied to breast lesion evaluation with or without US contrast agents. Microvascular US imaging without a contrast agent uses a sophisticated wall filtering system to selectively obtain low-flow Doppler signals from overlapped artifacts. Microvascular US imaging with second-generation contrast agents amplifies flow signals and makes them last longer, which facilitates hemodynamic evaluation of breast lesions. In this review article, we will introduce various microvascular US techniques, explain their clinical applications in breast cancer diagnosis and radiologic-histopathologic correlation, and provide a summary of a recent radiogenomic study using microvascular US.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
• /
• v.21 no.11
• /
• pp.1210-1219
• /
• 2020

Objective: To compare the utility and diagnostic performance of automated breast ultrasound system (ABUS) with that of handheld ultrasound (HHUS) in evaluating pure non-mass enhancement (NME) lesions on breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Materials and Methods: One hundred twenty-six consecutive MRI-visible pure NME lesions of 122 patients with breast cancer were assessed from April 2016 to March 2017. Two radiologists reviewed the preoperative breast MRI, ABUS, and HHUS images along with mammography (MG) findings. The NME correlation rate and diagnostic performance of ABUS were compared with that of HHUS, and the imaging features associated with ABUS visibility were analyzed. Results: Among 126 pure NME lesions, 100 (79.4%) were malignant and 26 (20.6%) were benign. The overall correlation rate was 87.3% (110/126) in ABUS and 92.9% (117/126) in HHUS. The sensitivity and specificity were 87% and 50% for ABUS and 92% and 42.3% for HHUS, respectively, with no significant differences (p = 0.180 and 0.727, respectively). Malignant NME was more frequently visualized than benign NME lesions on ABUS (93% vs. 65.4%, p = 0.001). Significant factors associated with the visibility of ABUS were the size of NME lesions on MRI (p < 0.001), their distribution pattern (p < 0.001), and microcalcifications on MG (p = 0.027). Conclusion: ABUS evaluation of pure NME lesions on MRI in patients with breast cancer is a useful technique with high visibility, especially in malignant lesions. The diagnostic performance of ABUS was comparable with that of conventional HHUS in evaluating NME lesions.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
• /
• v.10 no.3
• /
• pp.201-206
• /
• 2016

Social interest in breast cancer has increased. The most basic exams for diagnosis include breast X-ray and breast ultrasound. In particular, breast microcalcification requires histological diagnosis, and breast microcalcification biopsy is commonly performed. Therefore, this study aimed to analyze and assess X-ray guided biopsy (needle localized open biopsy) and ultrasound guided biopsy (sono guided core needle biopsy), which are basics in diagnosis of microcalcification. Targeting 241 cases in which magnification mammography was performed for patients who visited the hospital due to breast microcalcification, age distribution and the location of lesions were analyzed in X-ray guided biopsy and ultrasound guided biopsy. By classifying exams performed after magnification mammography, the frequencies of X-ray guided biopsy and ultrasound guided biopsy were analyzed, and malignant and benign results were confirmed. The results showed that 64 cases(26.6%) were X-ray guided biopsy, which was 5.4 times higher than 12 cases(4.9%) of ultrasound guided biopsy. Due to development of ultrasound equipments, stereotactic vacuum-assisted biopsy, etc. the methods of histological diagnosis of microcalcification have become diverse, but when considering characteristics and limitations of each exam, X-ray guided biopsy is thought to be most accurate and useful.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.13 no.12
• /
• pp.6067-6072
• /
• 2012

Background: Breast cancer in developing countries is on the rise. There are currently no guidelines to screen women at risk in India. Since mammography in the western world is a well-accepted screening tool to prevent late presentation of breast cancer and improve mortality, it is intuitive to adopt mammography as a screening tool of choice. However, it is expensive and fraught with logistical issues in developing countries like India. Materials and Methods: Our breast cancer screening camp was done at a local district hospital in India after approval from the director and administrators. After initial training of local health care workers, a one-day camp was held. Clinical breast examination, mammograms, as well as diagnostic evaluation with ultrasound and fine needle aspiration biopsy were utilized. Results: Out of total 68 women screened only 2 women with previous history of breast cancer were diagnosed with breast cancer recurrence. None of the women in other groups were diagnosed with breast cancer despite suspicious lesions either on clinical exam, mammogram or ultrasound. Most suspicious lesions were fibroadenomas. The average cost of screening women who underwent mammography, ultrasound and fine needle aspiration was $30 dollars, whereas it was $16 in women who had simple clinical breast examination. Conclusions: Local camps act as catalysts for women to seek medical attention or discuss with local health care workers concerns of discovering new lumps or developing breast symptoms. Our camp did diagnose recurrence of breast cancer in two previously treated breast cancer patients, who were promptly referred to a regional cancer hospital. Further studies are needed in countries like India to identify the best screening tool to decrease the presentation of breast cancer in advanced stages and to reduce mortality.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.15 no.8
• /
• pp.3555-3559
• /
• 2014

Background: The triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive cancer characterized by the absence of estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR) and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2). Preoperative mammography and ultrasound features of TNBC may potentially suggest characteristics of the disease and assist in treatment decisions. Materials and Methods: The study covered 153 patients with TNBC from May 2011 to May 2012 who were confirmed by postoperative pathology results in our hospital. We compared the radiological findings among the patients and sought to determine the significant iconographic features. The biomarkers p53 and Ki-67 are regarded as significant factors in TNBC. They were therefore used to divide the TNBC into four groups for assessment of relationships with TNBC imaging features. Results: On mammography, most TNBCs exhibit obscure (44.3%) masses. On ultrasound, the majority of masses (95.4%) were predominantly indistinct (50.7%), irregular (76.0%) or featuring posterior echo enhancement/shadowing. Color Doppler flow imaging (CDFI) emphasized hypervascular (32.9%) masses. Differences in CDFI by ultrasound among the four groups were statistically significant (p=0.009). There were obvious differences in the percentages of spiculated margin (p=0.049) and intensive posterior echo (p=0.006) with spotty flow imaging by ultrasound between the Ki-67 (+) p53 (+) and other groups. Conclusions: A combination of mammography and ultrasound revealed the imaging characteristics of TNBC included an obscure mass with less attenuated posterior echoes and some vascularity. A worse prognosis was associated with spiculated margin and intensive posterior echoes with spotty flow imaging.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
• /
• v.23 no.6
• /
• pp.574-580
• /
• 2022

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Information and Commucation Sciences Conference
• /
• 2021.10a
• /
• pp.307-310
• /
• 2021

In the recent years, studies using Computer-Aided Diagnostics(CAD) have been actively conducted, such as signal and image processing technology using breast ultrasound images, automatic image optimization technology, and automatic detection and classification of breast masses. As computer diagnostic technology is developed, it is expected that early detection of cancer will proceed accurately and quickly, reducing health insurance and test ice for patients, and eliminating anxiety about biopsy. In this paper, a quantitative analysis of tumors was conducted in ultrasound images using a gray level co-occurrence matrix(GLCM) to experiment with the possibility of use for computer assistance diagnosis.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
• /
• v.25 no.2
• /
• pp.146-156
• /
• 2024

Objective: Automated breast ultrasound (ABUS) is a relevant imaging technique for early breast cancer diagnosis and is increasingly being used as a supplementary tool for mammography. This study compared the performance of ABUS and handheld ultrasound (HHUS) in detecting and characterizing the axillary lymph nodes (LNs) in patients with breast cancer. Materials and Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of women with recently diagnosed early breast cancer (≤ T2) who underwent both ABUS and HHUS examinations for axilla (September 2017-May 2018). ABUS and HHUS findings were compared using pathological outcomes as reference standards. Diagnostic performance in predicting any axillary LN metastasis and heavy nodal-burden metastases (i.e., ≥ 3 LNs) was evaluated. The ABUS-HHUS agreement for visibility and US findings was calculated. Results: The study included 377 women (53.1 ± 11.1 years). Among 385 breast cancers in 377 patients, 101 had axillary LN metastases and 30 had heavy nodal burden metastases. ABUS identified benign-looking or suspicious axillary LNs (average, 1.4 ± 0.8) in 246 axillae (63.9%, 246/385). According to the per-breast analysis, the sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values, and accuracy of ABUS in predicting axillary LN metastases were 43.6% (44/101), 95.1% (270/284), 75.9% (44/58), 82.6% (270/327), and 81.6% (314/385), respectively. The corresponding results for HHUS were 41.6% (42/101), 95.1% (270/284), 75.0% (42/56), 82.1% (270/329), and 81.0% (312/385), respectively, which were not significantly different from those of ABUS (P ≥ 0.53). The performance results for heavy nodal-burden metastases were 70.0% (21/30), 89.6% (318/355), 36.2% (21/58), 97.3% (318/327), and 88.1% (339/385), respectively, for ABUS and 66.7% (20/30), 89.9% (319/355), 35.7% (20/56), 97.0% (319/329), and 88.1% (339/385), respectively, for HHUS, also not showing significant difference (P ≥ 0.57). The ABUS-HHUS agreement was 95.9% (236/246; Cohen's kappa = 0.883). Conclusion: Although ABUS showed limited sensitivity in diagnosing axillary LN metastasis in early breast cancer, it was still useful as the performance was comparable to that of HHUS.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.16 no.15
• /
• pp.6177-6186
• /
• 2015

Sensitivity and specificity are the two most important indicators in selection of medical imaging devices for cancer screening. Breast images taken by conventional or digital mammography, ultrasound, MRI and optical mammography were collected from 2,143,852 patients. They were then studied and compared for sensitivity and specificity results. Optical mammography had the highest sensitivity (p<0.001 and p<0.006) except with MRI. Digital mammography had the highest specificity for breast cancer imaging. A comparison of specificity between digital mammography and optical mammography was significant (p<0.021). If two or more breast diagnostic imaging tests are requested the overall sensitivity and specificity will increase. In this literature review study patients at high-risk of breast cancer were studied beside normal or sensitive women. The image modality performance of each breast test was compared for each.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
• /
• v.30 no.4
• /
• pp.357-363
• /
• 2007

The breast cancer occurrence have been increase yearly. Consequently the effort for early discovery or prevention is necessary. The study investigated the age distribution rate and a disease distribution occurrence rate in the breast medical examination of Ulsan city area. Breast medical examination distribution ratio it preferred the breast ultrasound with mamography 38.8% breast-ultrasonogrphy 61.2% to be investigated. The disease categories distribution was various from breast-ultrasound medical examination and it was investigated with becomes ramification. The reading find was many most infiltrating duct carcinoma from 40 age stage. The ductal carcinoma in situ was many from 50 age stage. The most many disease was investigated HP(Heterogenous dense nodule or mass parenchyma pattern) with 29.2%. Also the breast abscess or mastitis disease is confirmed only the breast-ultrasonography examination, even from the outside disease it was investigated with the fact that the breast-ultrasound raises the discrimination.