Diagnostic Role of Shear Wave Elastography for Differentiating Benign and Malignant Breast Lesions With Histopathological Examination (HPE) Correlation

TL;DR

This study shows that Shear Wave Elastography can help distinguish between benign and malignant breast lesions, potentially reducing the need for invasive biopsies.

Contribution

The study evaluates the diagnostic accuracy of Shear Wave Elastography combined with conventional ultrasound in breast lesion evaluation.

Findings

SWE demonstrated a sensitivity of 72.72% in detecting malignant breast lesions.

The diagnostic accuracy of SWE combined with B-mode USG was 80%.

SWE is proposed as a valuable non-invasive adjunct to conventional USG.

Abstract

Breast cancer is a leading cause of mortality worldwide, with invasive ductal carcinoma being the most common malignant tumor. Ultrasonography (USG) is the initial imaging modality for breast lesions, but its low specificity often necessitates invasive histopathological examination (HPE). Shear wave elastography (SWE) is a novel technique that assesses tissue stiffness non-invasively, providing promising results in differentiating benign and malignant breast lesions. This study evaluates the diagnostic accuracy of SWE combined with B-mode USG in characterizing breast lesions and correlates findings with HPE results. A hospital-based prospective observational study was conducted on 50 female patients aged 18 years and above with breast lesions categorized as Breast Imaging-Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) 3 or higher. SWE demonstrated a sensitivity of 72.72%, a specificity of 85.71%, and a diagnostic accuracy of 80%, highlighting its potential to reduce unnecessary biopsies. This study concludes that SWE is a valuable adjunct to conventional USG for breast lesion evaluation.

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