We use cookies to understand how you use our site and to improve your experience. This includes personalizing content and advertising. To learn more, click here. By continuing to use our site, you accept our use of cookies. Cookie Policy.

Features Partner Sites Information LinkXpress
Sign In
Advertise with Us
GLOBETECH PUBLISHING LLC

Download Mobile App




Ultrasound Effective at Diagnosing Localized Breast Lumps and Pain, Finds Study

By MedImaging International staff writers
Posted on 05 Apr 2023
Print article
Image: A study has found ultrasound to be an effective standalone diagnostic method for focal breast complaints (Photo courtesy of Pexels)
Image: A study has found ultrasound to be an effective standalone diagnostic method for focal breast complaints (Photo courtesy of Pexels)

Frequent focal breast complaints in women include pain, lumps, nipple discharge, and other symptoms and conditions that are confined to a specific area of the breast. The most common complaints are pain and the presence of lumps. For women 30 years or older with localized breast complaints, the standard diagnostic tool is digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) followed by targeted ultrasound. While DBT provides an overall image of both breasts, ultrasound is more effective for specific area imaging of the breast. The quality of ultrasound images has significantly improved in recent years. Now, a new study has found ultrasound to be an effective standalone diagnostic method in patients with focal breast complaints.

For the study, researchers at Radboud University Medical Center (Nijmegen, the Netherlands) assessed the effectiveness of ultrasound as a standalone diagnostic method in women over the age of 30 who reported localized breast complaints. Among the 1,961 women included in the study, breast lumps or localized breast pain were the most common symptoms reported. The researchers identified seven subgroups of focal complaints. Targeted ultrasound was the initial evaluation for all patients, followed by DBT, if required, and biopsy after ultrasound. Since the ultrasounds were performed first, the participating radiologists interpreted them without being influenced by the DBT images.

The researchers discovered that ultrasound alone provided an accurate diagnosis for 1,759 (90%) out of 1,961 patients in their analysis. More than 80% of the complaints turned out to be normal or benign findings like cysts. Biopsies were performed on 374 patients based on ultrasound results, which led to 192 symptomatic breast cancer diagnoses. These findings suggest that ultrasound may be particularly beneficial in low- or middle-income countries where it is more readily available compared to DBT. The cost-effectiveness of ultrasound and the improved patient comfort during the procedure are also essential factors to consider when expanding its implementation in the diagnosis of symptomatic breast cancer.

“We found that the diagnostic accuracy of ultrasound is high in women with focal breast complaints,” said study co-author Linda Appelman, M.D., a breast radiologist in the Department of Medical Imaging at Radboud University Medical Center. “Our study showed that ultrasound alone can effectively diagnose focal breast complaints in a large majority of women. In a setting with limited resources or an already existing screening program, initial ultrasound might be a better alternative compared to mammography.”

Related Links:
Radboud University Medical Center

Gold Supplier
Conductive Gel
Tensive
New
Gold Supplier
IMRT Thorax Phantom
CIRS Model 002LFC
New
Gold Supplier
Mammography Phantom
Mammo 156 Phantom
New
Afterloader For Brachytherapy
Flexitron

Print article
Sun Nuclear -    Mirion

Channels

Radiography

view channel
Image: Radiologists outperformed AI in identifying lung diseases on chest X-ray (Photo courtesy of RSNA)

Radiologists Beat AI in Detecting Common Lung Diseases on Chest X-Rays

Chest X-rays are frequently used for diagnosis, but it takes a lot of training and expertise to read these images correctly. Although the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved some artificial... Read more

Nuclear Medicine

view channel
Image: Imaging entire body instead of only the primary cancer site can provide a total estimate of HER2 expression (Photo courtesy of 123RF)

Whole-Body PET/CT Predicts Response to HER2-Targeted Therapy in Metastatic Breast Cancer Patients

Around 20% of women diagnosed with breast cancer show overexpression of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2), making it a key therapy target for new as well as recurring cases.... Read more

General/Advanced Imaging

view channel
Image: Annalise Enterprise CTB acts like a ‘second pair of eyes’ for radiologists (Photo courtesy of Annalise.ai)

Deep Learning System Boosts Radiologist Accuracy and Speed for Head CTs

Non-contrast computed tomography of the brain (NCCTB) is a commonly employed method for identifying intracranial pathology. Despite its frequent use, the complex scan outcomes are prone to being misunderstood.... Read more

Imaging IT

view channel
Image: The new Medical Imaging Suite makes healthcare imaging data more accessible, interoperable and useful (Photo courtesy of Google Cloud)

New Google Cloud Medical Imaging Suite Makes Imaging Healthcare Data More Accessible

Medical imaging is a critical tool used to diagnose patients, and there are billions of medical images scanned globally each year. Imaging data accounts for about 90% of all healthcare data1 and, until... Read more

Industry News

view channel
Image: The partnership combines best-in-class AI-powered technologies for musculoskeletal imaging workflows (Photo courtesy of ImageBiopsy Lab)

AI-Powered Technologies to Aid Interpretation of X-Ray and MRI Images for Improved Disease Diagnosis

Musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions impact more people worldwide than issues related to the circulatory or respiratory systems. Even so, diagnostic procedures for these conditions often still lean on outdated... Read more
Copyright © 2000-2023 Globetech Media. All rights reserved.