Objective:

To compare the diagnostic efficacy of automated breast volume scanning (ABVS) with hand-held ultrasound (HHUS) in breast lesions of Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System category 4 proved by mammography.

Methods:

ABVS and HHUS were performed in 64 patients with breast lesions of BIRADS category 4 proved by mammography. The consisten

cy of the number of breast lesions detected by the two methods was investigated. BI-RADS-US categories 4B to 5 were classified as malignant

and categories 2 to 4A as benign. The pathological results were taken as gold standard.

Results:

Among 64 patients

89 lesions were detected by ABVS and 81 lesions by HHUS. There were 74 lesions detected by both methods. There was a strong consistency between the two methods (=0.842). The sensitivity

specificity

accuracy

positive predictive value and negative predictive value of ABVS in diagnosing breast tumor of BI-RADS category 4 were 93.33%

90.25%

91.55%

87.53% and 95.87%

respectively

while those of HHUS were 84.33%

85.35%

87.95 %

81.17%

89.16%

respectively. There was no significant difference between the two groups in the diagnostic efficiency (

P

0.05). The area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was 0.82 and 0.80

respectively

with no significant difference (

P

0.05).

Conclusion:

ABVS and HHUS are highly consistent and have similar efficacy in the detection and diagnosis of breast lesions of BI-RADS category 4.