Whole-Breast Ultrasound for Breast Screening and Archiving

The incidence of breast cancer is increasing worldwide, reinforcing the importance of breast screening. Conventional hand-held ultrasound (HHUS) for breast screening is efficient and relatively easy to perform; however, it lacks systematic recording and localization. This study investigated an electromagnetic tracking-based whole-breast ultrasound (WBUS) system to facilitate the use of HHUS for breast screening. One-hundred nine breast masses were collected, and the detection of suspicious breast lesions was compared between the WBUS system, HHUS and a commercial automated breast ultrasound (ABUS) system. The positioning error between WBUS and ABUS (1.39 ± 0.68 cm) was significantly smaller than that between HHUS and ABUS (1.62 ± 0.91 cm, p = 0.014) and HHUS and WBUS (1.63 ± 0.9 cm, p = 0.024). WBUS is a practical clinical tool for breast screening that can be used instead of the often unavailable and costly ABUS.     

Clinical Utility of Real-Time MR-Navigated Ultrasound with Supine Breast MRI for Suspicious Enhancing Lesions Not Identified on Second-Look Ultrasound

This study evaluated the usefulness of magnetic resonance (MR)-navigated ultrasound (US) for evaluation of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-detected lesions not visible on second-look US and analyzed differences in lesion-to-nipple distance between supine and prone positions. Of the 831 consecutive patients who were diagnosed with breast cancer and examined with breast MRI from June 2013 to September 2015, 40 lesions in 37 patients who underwent MR-navigated US for MRI-detected lesions that were not visible on second-look US were included. First, MRI was performed in a prone position using a 1.5-T imager, and second, MRI was performed in a supine position for MR-navigated US. Of 40 lesions, 31 (78%) were identified with MR-navigated US, whereas 5 (13%) lesions disappeared on supine MRI and 4 (10%) exhibited no correlation on MR-navigated US. Of 31 lesions with pathologic confirmation, 7 (23%) were malignant, 2 (6%) were high-risk lesions and 22 (71%) were benign lesions. Comparison of the US findings of benign and malignant lesions revealed that orientation of the lesion differed significantly (p = 0.045), whereas lesion shape, margin and echo pattern did not significantly differ between the two groups (p = 0.088, p = 0.094 and p = 0.412, respectively). Median difference in lesion-to-nipple distance on supine and prone MRI was 8 mm (0–34 mm) in the horizontal direction and 5 mm (0–39.5 mm) in the vertical direction. Thirteen lesions exhibited a >1-cm difference in both horizontal and vertical directions. In conclusion, MR-navigated US was useful for the evaluation of MRI-detected lesions that were not visible on second-look US in breast cancer patients.     

Mammotome微创旋切系统在乳腺外科中的应用研究

目的:探讨B超引导下Mammotome微创旋切系统对乳腺病灶的论断与治疗的应用价值.方法:对33例42处乳腺病灶进行了B超引导下Mammotome微创旋切术,评价其对乳腺病灶的诊治效果.结果:33例42处乳腺病灶中,25例34处病灶临床诊断为乳朱纤维腺瘤,均被Mammotome微创旋切切除,平均旋切15次,用时30min;6例为乳腺可疑病灶,2例临床诊断为Ⅲ期乳腺癌,均约Mammotome微创旋切术而获得明确诊断,操作无一例失败,这种方法皮肤伤口小,除1例有轻度皮下瘀血现象外无其它并发症,结论:B超能很好地引导Mammotome微创旋切系统进行乳腺小纤维腺瘤的微创切除术,对乳腺可疑病灶能明确诊断,若为良性可避免不必要的手术;若为恶性则能及时获得合理的治疗.     

Second-look US Using Real-time Virtual Sonography,a Coordinated Breast US and MRI System with Electromagnetic Tracking Technology: A Pilot Study

Our aim was to retrospectively evaluate the utility of second-look ultrasound (US) using real-time virtual sonography (RVS) for detection of conventional B-mode (cB-mode) occult magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-detected breast lesions. Between July 2011 and May 2015, 53 consecutive patients who underwent second-look US to identify lesions detected by prone MRI were enrolled in this study. Second-look US using RVS was performed for cB-mode occult MRI-detected breast lesions after an additional supine MRI. In the 53 patients, 59 lesions were initially detected by prone MRI, followed by second-look US. Of the 59 lesions, 20 (34%) were identified by second-look US using cB-mode. Of the 39 (66%) cB-mode occult lesions, 38 (97%) were detected in supine MRI and 33 (85%) were detected by second-look US using RVS. MRI morphology types of the 33 lesions were as follows: mass, 16; non-mass enhancement, 5; and focus, 12. US-guided biopsy under RVS or excisional biopsy demonstrated that of the 33 lesions, 8 (24%) were malignant and the remaining 25 (76%) were benign. A total of 53 (90%) MRI-detected lesions were sonographically identified using both cB-mode and RVS (p < 0.001). All five remaining US-occult lesions could be followed up under RVS after the enhancing area was marked on the breast surface using RVS. Although further prospective studies are required, the findings of our pilot study suggest that second-look US using RVS with additional supine MRI may improve the sonographic and histopathologic detection rate of cB-mode occult MRI-detected breast lesions.     

Diagnostic Performance Using Automated Breast Ultrasound System for Breast Cancer in Chinese Women Aged 40 Years or Older: A Comparative Study

The purpose of this study was to investigate the diagnostic performance of the automated breast ultrasound system (ABUS) compared with hand-held ultrasonography (HHUS) and mammography (MG) for breast cancer in women aged 40 y or older. A total of 594 breasts in 385 patients were enrolled in the study. HHUS, ABUS and MG exams were performed for these patients. Follow-up and pathologic findings were used as the reference standard. Based on the reference standard, 519 units were benign or normal and 75 were malignant. The sensitivity, specificity, accuracy and Youden index were 97.33%, 89.79%, 90.74% and 0.87 for HHUS; 90.67%, 92.49%, 92.26% and 0.83 for ABUS; 84.00%, 92.87%, 91.75% and 0.77 for MG, respectively. The specificity of ABUS was significantly superior to that of HHUS (p = 0.024). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.936 for HHUS, which was the highest, followed by 0.916 for ABUS and 0.884 for MG. However, the difference was not statistically significant (p > 0.05). In conclusion, the diagnostic performance of ABUS for breast cancer was equivalent to HHUS and MG and potentially can be used as an alternative method for breast cancer diagnosis.     

三维超声鉴别诊断乳腺肿块良恶性的优势

目的 探讨三维超声鉴别诊断乳腺肿块良恶性的优势征象.方法 由5名超声医师独立评估109例女性患者中120个乳腺实性肿块的二维及三维超声图像(手术病理诊断69个恶性,51个良性).评估内容包括肿块的7项二维及10项三维声像特征,通过受试者工作特征曲线(ROC) 分析比较三维超声相对于二维超声鉴别诊断肿块良恶性的优势.结果 二维及三维声像图上良恶性肿块的声像特征间各自均显著不同(P<0.001);三维声像上恶性特征显示率高于二维声像,其中三维冠状面上"汇聚征"诊断恶性的敏感性为56.8%、特异性为93.7%,边缘不规则或毛刺征诊断恶性的敏感性为92.2%,特异性为51.8%;完整界面回声诊断良性的敏感性为77.6%,特异性为90.4%.ROC分析显示三维与二维的曲线下面积分别为0.948 3和0.908 6(P<0.05).结论 三维超声提供更多的影像评估特征,使乳腺肿块的良恶性鉴别比二维超声更可靠.三维超声的诊断价值高于二维超声.     

彩色多普勒超声对乳腺癌诊断的价值

目的评价二维超声图像特征对乳腺恶性肿瘤诊断及鉴别诊断的意义。方法应用高频二维超声对30例乳腺肿块患者进行检查,观察肿块的部位、形态、边界、边缘、纵横比、内部回声、病灶后方回声、侧壁声影、微小钙化灶及有无腋窝肿大淋巴结;彩色多普勒血流图着重观察乳腺肿块的血流特征。所有病例均经手术,并将超声诊断与病理诊断结果进行对照。结果30例乳腺肿块术后病理诊断均为恶性,其中28例超声提示为恶性,2例为良性,超声对乳腺恶性肿块的诊断总符合率为93.3%,误诊率为6.7%。结论高频二维超声特征结合彩色多普勒表现对乳腺恶性肿瘤具有较高的诊断价值。     

Breast Cancer Classification in Automated Breast Ultrasound Using Multiview Convolutional Neural Network with Transfer Learning

To assist radiologists in breast cancer classification in automated breast ultrasound (ABUS) imaging, we propose a computer-aided diagnosis based on a convolutional neural network (CNN) that classifies breast lesions as benign and malignant. The proposed CNN adopts a modified Inception-v3 architecture to provide efficient feature extraction in ABUS imaging. Because the ABUS images can be visualized in transverse and coronal views, the proposed CNN provides an efficient way to extract multiview features from both views. The proposed CNN was trained and evaluated on 316 breast lesions (135 malignant and 181 benign). An observer performance test was conducted to compare five human reviewers' diagnostic performance before and after referring to the predicting outcomes of the proposed CNN. Our method achieved an area under the curve (AUC) value of 0.9468 with five-folder cross-validation, for which the sensitivity and specificity were 0.886 and 0.876, respectively. Compared with conventional machine learning-based feature extraction schemes, particularly principal component analysis (PCA) and histogram of oriented gradients (HOG), our method achieved a significant improvement in classification performance. The proposed CNN achieved a >10% increased AUC value compared with PCA and HOG. During the observer performance test, the diagnostic results of all human reviewers had increased AUC values and sensitivities after referring to the classification results of the proposed CNN, and four of the five human reviewers’ AUCs were significantly improved. The proposed CNN employing a multiview strategy showed promise for the diagnosis of breast cancer, and could be used as a second reviewer for increasing diagnostic reliability.     

Pre-Operative Planning Using Real-Time Virtual Sonography,an MRI/Ultrasound Image Fusion Technique,for Breast-Conserving Surgery in Patients with Non-Mass Enhancement on Breast MRI: A Preliminary Study

The purpose of this retrospective study was to evaluate the effect of pre-operative planning using real-time virtual sonography (RVS), a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)/ultrasound (US) image fusion technique on breast-conserving surgery (BCS) in patients with non-mass enhancement (NME) on breast MRI. Between 2011 and 2015, we enrolled 12 consecutive patients who had lesions with NME that exceeded the US hypo-echoic area, in which it was particularly difficult to evaluate the tumor margin. During pre-operative planning before breast-conserving surgery, RVS was used to delineate the enhancing area on the breast surface after additional supine breast MRI was performed. We analyzed both the surgical margin positivity rate and the re-operation rate. All NME lesions corresponded to the index cancer. In all patients, the diameter of the NME lesion was greater than that of the hypo-echoic lesion. The median diameters of the NME and hypo-echoic lesions were 24?mm (range: 12–39?mm) and 8.0?mm (range: 4.9–18?mm), respectively (p?=?0.0002). After RVS-derived skin marking was performed on the surface of the affected breast, lumpectomy and quadrantectomy were conducted in 7 and 5 patients, respectively. The surgical margins were negative in 10 (83%) patients. Two patients with positive margins were found to have ductal carcinoma in situ in 1 duct each, 2.4 and 3.2?mm from the resection margin, respectively. None of the patients required additional resection. Although further prospective studies are required, the findings of our preliminary study suggest that it is very well possible that the use of RVS-derived skin marking during pre-operative planning for BCS in patients with NME would have resulted in surgical outcomes similar to or better than those obtained without the use of such marking.     

自动乳腺超声诊断系统结合计算机辅助检测乳腺恶性肿瘤敏感度的影响因素分析

目的评估影响计算机辅助检测（CAD）识别自动乳腺超声诊断系统（ABUS）乳腺恶性肿瘤敏感度的因素。 方法收集自2016年1月至2017年2月于空军军医大学西京医院行ABUS检查并经外科手术或组织学活检病理证实的乳腺恶性肿瘤患者232例，共240个恶性病灶。所有病例均经CAD软件检测，统计CAD对病灶的总敏感度，并统计分析病灶组织学类型、最大径、距乳头距离、距皮肤距离及象限等因素与CAD敏感度之间的关系。以外科手术或组织学活检病理结果为诊断"金标准"，采用χ²检验分析病灶组织学类型、最大径、距乳头距离、距皮肤距离、象限、病灶边缘特征等因素与CAD敏感度的关系。 结果CAD对恶性病灶的总敏感度为85%（204/240），对不同病理学类型的敏感度分别为：浸润性导管癌89.0%（186/209）、导管原位癌53.9%（14/29）、黏液癌75.0%（3/4）、恶性叶状肿瘤100%（1/1），差异有统计学意义（χ²=18.836，P<0.001）。病灶最大径、距乳头距离、距皮肤距离及象限均与CAD敏感度之间比较，差异无统计学意义（P>0.05）。病灶距皮肤距离、病灶边缘特征与CAD对浸润性导管癌的敏感度之间比较，差异有统计学意义（P<0.05）。 结论CAD对恶性病灶的敏感度较高（85.0%），尤其是对浸润性导管癌的检出（89.0%），医师在借助CAD读图时，应注意是否有遗漏的导管原位癌、位置深或边缘模糊的浸润性导管癌。     

Potential Application Value of Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound In Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy of Breast Cancer

The purpose of this study was to investigate the value of contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) in evaluating the response of breast cancer to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC). The study included 31 breast cancer patients who were treated with NAC between August 2010 and October 2011. All patients were evaluated by both conventional ultrasound (US) and CEUS. The tumor sizes measured by CEUS were larger and more accurately imaged than those evaluated by US. Necrosis at the tumor center could be detected by CEUS, which showed a local blood perfusion defect in 26 cases (83.9%) before NAC and 27 cases (87.1%) after NAC, whereas US did not show liquefaction in any patient. The CEUS time-intensity curve displayed quantitatively the tumors' blood-perfusion changes; after NAC, blood perfusion reduced, enhancement intensity decreased, time to peak increased, peak intensity reduced, and the wash-in slope reduced (p < 0.05). Overall, the CEUS is a promising tool for evaluating the response of breast cancer to NAC.     

Deformable Mapping Method to Relate Lesions in Dedicated Breast CT Images to Those in Automated Breast Ultrasound and Digital Breast Tomosynthesis Images

This work demonstrates the potential for using a deformable mapping method to register lesions between dedicated breast computed tomography (bCT) and both automated breast ultrasound (ABUS) and digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) images (craniocaudal [CC] and mediolateral oblique [MLO] views). Two multi-modality breast phantoms with external fiducial markers attached were imaged by the three modalities. The DBT MLO view was excluded for the second phantom. The automated deformable mapping algorithm uses biomechanical modeling to determine corresponding lesions based on distances between their centers of mass (d_COM) in the deformed bCT model and the reference model (DBT or ABUS). For bCT to ABUS, the mean d_COM was 5.2 ± 2.6 mm. For bCT to DBT (CC), the mean d_COM was 5.1 ± 2.4 mm. For bCT to DBT (MLO), the mean d_COM was 4.7 ± 2.5 mm. This application could help improve a radiologist's efficiency and accuracy in breast lesion characterization, using multiple imaging modalities.     

Ultrasound Imaging Technologies for Breast Cancer Detection and Management: A Review

Ultrasound imaging is a commonly used modality for breast cancer detection and diagnosis. In this review, we summarize ultrasound imaging technologies and their clinical applications for the management of breast cancer patients. The technologies include ultrasound elastography, contrast-enhanced ultrasound, 3-D ultrasound, automatic breast ultrasound and computer-aided detection of breast ultrasound. We summarize the study results seen in the literature and discuss their future directions. We also provide a review of ultrasound-guided, breast biopsy and the fusion of ultrasound with other imaging modalities, especially magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). For comparison, we also discuss the diagnostic performance of mammography, MRI, positron emission tomography and computed tomography for breast cancer diagnosis at the end of this review. New ultrasound imaging techniques, ultrasound-guided biopsy and the fusion of ultrasound with other modalities provide important tools for the management of breast patients.     

超声弹性成像与彩色多普勒超声在乳腺占位性病变诊断中的对比研究

目的 比较超声弹性成像超声(UE)与彩色多普勒超声(CDFI)在乳腺占位性病变鉴别诊断中的应用价值.方法 对93例,100个乳腺占位性病灶术前行彩色多普勒和超声弹性成像检查,以手术病理为金标准,对比分析彩色多普勒超声和超声弹性成像诊断乳腺肿块良恶性的准确度.结果 超声弹性成像(UE)诊断乳腺恶性病灶的敏感度90.2%,特异度93.9%,准确度92.0%,彩色多普勒超声中根据肿块内血流情况(对显示最多血管条数的肿块超声切面进行评价)参照Adler分级诊断乳腺恶性病灶的敏感度64.7%,特异度77.5%,准确度71.0%,脉冲多普勒中根据血流的阻力指数(RI)诊断乳腺恶性病灶的敏感度74.5%,特异度71.4%,准确度73.0%.联合彩色多普勒和脉冲多普勒诊断乳腺恶性病灶的灵敏度为50.9%,特异度为89.7%,准确度为70%.结论 超声弹性成像在鉴别诊断乳腺占位性病变良恶性中的准确度高于彩色多普勒超声.     

ROC方法评价高频彩超、超声弹性成像及钼靶X线在乳腺病变鉴别诊断中的价值

目的：比较高频彩超、超声弹性成像及钼靶X线对乳腺良恶性病变进行鉴别诊断的价值.材料与方法：回顾分析经病理证实的59例乳腺肿块的高频彩超、钼靶X线、超声弹性成像及高频彩超与弹性成像联合诊断结果的敏感性、特异性、准确性,并对诊断结果进行ROC分析.结果：超声弹性成像诊断乳腺良恶性病灶的准确性93.24％、敏感性89.6％、特异性90.6％,略高于钼靶X线的89.9％、89.7％和84.4％.高频超声诊断乳腺肿块良恶性具有较高的敏感性（75.9％）但特异性较差（62.5％）.高频彩超＋弹性成像组合得到最高的敏感性93.1％,但特异性提高不明显,仅为65.6％.超声弹性成像的AUC值0.958,高于钼靶X线、高频彩超和高频彩超＋弹性成像三者的AUC值（0.921、0.827和0.887）,弹性成像与高频彩超和二者结合的AUC之间的差异具有统计学意义（P=0.0077、0.0416）.结论：超声弹性成像对乳腺病变诊断具有较高的敏感性和特异性,与高频超声联合应用能够明显提高超声检查在乳腺良恶性病变中的鉴别诊断准确性.     

MRI在乳腺良恶性病变诊断中的应用研究

目的;探讨MRI对乳腺良、恶性病变的诊断价值。方法;对65例76处乳腺病灶进行MRI平扫和增强检查,分析乳腺病灶MRI平扫和增强图像表现以及动态增强时间－信号强度曲线,并以B超,钼靶及病理结果对照。结果：MRI平扫加增强扫描对乳腺良、恶性病灶的诊断准确率为93．3％,优于B超和钼靶摄片。结论：乳腺MRI增强扫描能提高对乳腺病灶的鉴别诊断价值。     

造影时间-强度曲线分析在乳腺肿物鉴别诊断的应用

目的 探讨超声造影时间-强度曲线分析在乳腺肿物鉴别诊断的实用价值.方法 176例患者(共181个病灶)在术前1～2 d进行常规超声检查和超声造影检查.动态存贮病灶超声造影图像180 s,以备分析.运用QLAB软件的ROI功能,绘制时间-强度曲线,获得相关指标.结果 181个病灶均经病理确诊,良性病灶121个,恶性病灶60个.对时间-强度曲线的分析,良恶性肿瘤组间,病灶增强达峰差值时间Tp差异有统计学差异,病灶峰值强度,病灶峰值减半差值时间Th 的差异无统计学意义.结论 造影时间-强度曲线对于乳腺良恶性肿瘤的鉴别诊断价值有限.     

超声与磁共振融合虚拟导航技术在乳腺病变定位中的初步研究

目的探讨超声融合磁共振成像（MRI）虚拟导航技术对仅MRI发现的乳腺病变定位的临床价值。 方法选取2016年6月至2018年12月于浙江大学医学院附属杭州市第一人民医院就诊的21例患者,均行超声及乳腺MRI检查,MRI发现22个超声上未显示的病灶且乳腺影像报告与数据系统（BI-RADS）评估为4类及以上,在俯卧位下行超声与MRI融合虚拟导航下定位,分别对病灶进行穿刺活检或定位后手术切除,与病理结果相对照,以及MRI术前/后对比,统计病变检出率,并分析此类病变的MRI特征及病理类型。 结果22个病灶中共计20个在虚拟导航下完成定位,检出率为91%。术后病理显示18个（90%）为良性病变,2个（10%）为恶性病变。22个病变中,MRI显示20个（91%）为非肿块样强化,仅2个（9%）为肿块型强化。 结论超声融合MRI虚拟导航可以有效提高超声隐匿性乳腺病变的检出率,通过超声引导下穿刺活检具有实时、便捷等特点,可在临床推广应用。     

乳腺病变动态增强MRI研究

目的　探讨乳腺动态增强MRI的综合诊断价值。方法　随机选择 82例疑有乳腺肿瘤的患者进行前瞻性动态增强MRI研究。女 81例 ,男 1例。分别从病灶形态学、强化模式及时间 信号强度曲线等方面进行诊断 ,评估动态增强MRI的综合价值。结果　 82例中恶性肿瘤 5 6例 ,良性病变 2 6例。根据上述三个方面及三者综合诊断的敏感性和特异性分别为 82 .9%和 76.9%、70 .7%和 65 .4%、87.8%和 80 .8%及 92 .7%和 92 .3 %。结论　动态增强MRI对诊断乳腺病变具有重要的价值