Abstract:

Objective

To summarize the characteristics of benign and malignant breast lesions in contrast enhanced ultrasound (CEUS).

Methods

Totally 92 patients treated in the First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University from April 2013 to November 2013 underwent CEUS. The ultrasound characteristics of benign and malignant lesions were compared using Chi-square test and the quantitative parameters of time-intensity curve were compared using t test.

Results

There were 93 lesions (only one patient had 2 lesions), including 52 malignant lesions and 41 benign lesions confirmed by pathology. The malignant lesions were characterized by inhomogeneous enhancement (90.39%,47/52),mainly highly-enhanced(75.00%,39/52), unclear border after enhancement (100%,52/52),contrast agent retention (61.54%,32/52) and visualization of penetrating vessels (44.23%,23/52). The benign lesions were characterized by homogeneous enhancement (78.05%,32/41) and clear border after enhancement (68.30%,28/41), with no contrast agent retention (85.37%,35/41) and no visualization of penetrating vessels (92.68%,38/41).There were significant differences in enhancement homogeneity, margin, retention of contrast agent and penetrating vessel between benign and malignant lesions (χ² =44.814, 50.810, 20.871, 15.509; all P ＜0.001). Wash-in-time and peak intensity in the time-intensity curve showed significant differences between benign and malignant lesions(t=2.027, -3.211; P=0.046, 0.002).

Conclusion

Contrast enhanced ultrasound, combined with the time-intensity curve may be a better method to improve the differential diagnosis of benign and malignant breast lesions.

Key words: Breast neoplasms, Ultrasonography,mammary, Contrast media