Applied value of routine ultrasound and shear wave elastography in the diagnosis of triple negative breast cancer

Abstract

Objective To investigate the applied value of routine ultrasound and shear wave elastography (SWE) in the comparison between triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) and non-triple negative breast cancer (non-TNBC). Methods A total of 120 lesions in 120 patients with pathologically confirmed breast cancer were retrospectively reviewed, which were examined by routine ultrasound and SWE before surgery. According to immunohistochemical analysis, those were divided into TNBC group and non-TNBC group. The features of routine ultrasound(including shape, orientation, margin, boundary, echo pattern, microcalcification, posterior features of each lesion and blood flow characteristics) and the SWE index[including the average value of the lesion stiffness(Emean), the maximum value (Emax), the minimum value (Emin), the standard deviation (SD), and the ratio of the normal breast gland tissue (Eratio)] in the two groups were analyzed and compared. Results ①Two-dimensional ultrasound: TNBC lesions mostly showed the margin of microlobulated, abrupt boundaries and no internal microcalcification, but non-TNBC lesions were more likely to have an angular or spiculated margin, an echogenic halo of boundary and a few microcalcification in the interior, which were statistically different(P 0.05). ②The values of Emax, Emean and Eratio were statistically different(P<0.05), with AUCs of 0.811, 0.781, and 0.770, respectively. Conclusions Routine ultrasound and SWE can comprehensively analyze the morphology, blood flow and stiffness features of breast lesions, which provides more valid information to identify TNBC and non-TNBC. Key words: Ultrasonography; Shear wave elastography; Triple negative breast cancer