Letter From the Guest Editor: Breast Ultrasound: An Indispensable Tool

Abstract

This study aimed to compare the diagnostic value of automated breast volume scanning (ABVS) to that of handheld ultrasonography (HHUS) using breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) as the gold standard.Twenty-eight patients with 39 examined breasts with at least one lesion visible in breast MRI underwent HHUS and ABVS. Detection rate, localization, maximum diameter, and Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System classification were compared. Sensitivity, specificity, diagnostic accuracy, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value were calculated for HHUS and ABVS. Lesion localization and maximum diameters based on HHUS and ABVS were compared to size measurement in MRI. Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System categories based on each method were compared to the MRI diagnosis (malignant or benign) or, if available (21 cases), with the histologic diagnosis.MRI detected 72 lesions, ABVS 59 lesions, and HHUS 54 lesions. Malignancy was proven histopathologically in 15 cases. There was no significant difference between ABVS and HHUS in terms of sensitivity (93.3% vs. 100%), specificity (83.3% vs. 83.3%), diagnostic accuracy (87.2% vs. 89.7%), positive predictive value (77.8% vs. 78.9%), and negative predictive value (95.2% vs. 100%). Agreement regarding lesion localization (same quadrant) was 94.3% for ABVS and MRI and 91.2% for HHUS and MRI. Lesion size compared to MRI lesion size was assessed correctly (+/− 3 mm) in 79.4% (HHUS) and 80% (ABVS). The correlation of size measurement was slightly higher for ABVS-MRI (r = 0.89) than for HHUS-MRI (r = 0.82) with P < .001.ABVS can be used as an alternative to HHUS. ABVS has the advantage of operator independence and better reproducibility although it is limited in evaluating axillary lymph nodes and lacks Doppler or elastrography capabilities, which sometimes provide important supplementary information in HHUS.