To evaluate the value of contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) in differential diagnosis of breast benign and malignant lesions.
Methods:
The CEUS features of pathologically proven breast lesions of 66 patients (41 malignant tumors and 25 benign lesions) were analyzed retrospectively. Conventional ultrasound and CEUS were performed in all cases preoperatively. The sonographic features of conventional ultrasound and
CEUS were recorded and analyzed.
Results:
There were significant differences (
P
0.05) in enhancement order
larger diameter of lesions after CEUS
claw-shaped vessels
enhancement pattern and the lasting hyperenhancement time between benign and malignant lesions. Most malignant tumors were characterized by centripetal enhancement
uneven enhancement
and the enhancement range was larger than conventional ultrasound
claw-shaped enhancement. Most malignant and benign breast lesions were hyperenhancement
but the duration of hyperenhancement in malignant tumors was longer than that in benign lesions (
P
0.05). Uneven enhancement and the enhancement range had the best diagnostic performance for breast malignant tumors. The sensitivity
specificity
accuracy
and area under curve (AUC) were 78.0%
68.0%
74.2% and 0.73
respectively.
Conclusion:
These CEUS sonographic features
such as enhancement order
larger diameter of lesions after CEUS
claw-shaped vessels
enhancement pattern and the lasting hyperenhancement time are helpful for differential diagnosis of breast tumors which are worthy of clinical application.