3D Doppler Ultrasound Used To Help Detect Breast Cancer

Three-dimensional (3D) power Doppler ultrasound can help radiologists differentiate between malignant and benign breast masses, according to new research.

"Using 3D scans promises greater accuracy due to more consistent sampling over the entire tumor,” noted lead author, Gerald L. LeCarpentier, Ph.D., assistant professor in the department of radiology at the University of Michigan (Ann Arbor, MI, USA). "Our study shows that 3D power Doppler ultrasound may be useful in the evaluation of some breast masses.”

Malignant breast masses frequently exhibit increased blood flow compared to normal tissue or benign masses. Utilizing 3D power Doppler ultrasound, radiologists were able to identify vessels with higher flow speeds, which likely indicate cancer. For the study, Dr. LeCarpentier and colleagues assessed 78 women between the ages of 26 and 70 who where scheduled for biopsy of a suspicious breast mass. Each of the women underwent a 3D Doppler ultrasound exam followed by core or excisional biopsy of the breast.

The study's findings demonstrated that 3D power Doppler ultrasound was highly accurate in identifying malignant breast tumors. When combined with age-based assessment and grayscale visual analysis, 3D Doppler scanning revealed a sensitivity of 100% in identifying cancerous tumors and a specificity of 86% in excluding benign tumors. "Using speed-weighted 3D power Doppler ultrasound, higher flow velocities in the malignant tumor-feeding vessels may be detected, whereas vessels with slower flow velocities in surrounding benign masses may be excluded,” Dr. LeCarpentier concluded.

The study's findings were published in the November 2008 issue of the journal Radiology.

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