Quality Measurement of Two-dimensional Shear Wave Speed Imaging for Breast Lesions: the Associated Factors and the Impact to Diagnostic Performance

Dan-Dan Li,Rong Wu,Hui-Xiong Xu,Bo-Ji Liu,Xiao-Long Li,Xiao-Wan Bo

doi:10.1038/s41598-017-05281-5

Dan-Dan Li, Rong Wu + Show 4 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-017-05281-5

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Abstract

This study aimed to identify the associated factors for quality measurement (QM) of shear wave speed (SWS) imaging and to validate the additional value of QM in the diagnosis of breast lesions. From September 2014 to February 2015, conventional ultrasound and SWS imaging were performed in 338 women with 361 breast lesions. Binary logistic regression was used to identify associated factors for QM. Sensitivity, specificity and the area under receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC) among maximum SWS (SWSmax), QM and SWSmax plus QM (SWSmax+QM) were compared to validate additional value of QM. Pathology confirmed 263 (72.9%) benign lesions and 98 (27.1%) malignancies. Maximum depth (Odds ratio [OR]: 1.398) and posterior features (OR: 1.206) were identified as independent associated factors for QM. Compared with SWSmax and QM, the sensitivity of SWSmax+QM increased from 67.3%, 64.3% to 83.7% whereas the specificity decreased from 90.5%, 72.6% to 65.4% (all P < 0.05). SWSmax had the highest AUC in comparison with QM and SWSmax+QM (0.849 vs. 0.685 vs. 0.745; P < 0.05). QM for breast lesions is associated with maximum depth and posterior features. Adding QM to SWSmax is useful for breast cancer screening and SWSmax alone is useful for breast cancer differentiation.

Highlights

Technical innovations have made display and measurement of the SW quality possible
In addition to be used as a reference for selecting shear wave region of interest (SW-ROI) for shear wave speed (SWS) measurement, Barr et al recently found another use of quality measurement (QM) in the diagnosis of breast lesions[9]
Measurement errors about the SW propagation may occur in the course of data acquisition and data processing

Summary

Introduction

Technical innovations have made display and measurement of the SW quality possible. One of them is to provide a two-dimensional (2D) quality measurement (QM) map, as it does with a recently developed SWS imaging technique (i.e. Virtual Touch Tissue Imaging and Quantification, VTIQ; Siemens Medical Solutions, Mountain View, CA, USA), in which the quality of SW propagation is displayed in different 2D colors[8]. In addition to be used as a reference for selecting shear wave region of interest (SW-ROI) for SWS measurement, Barr et al recently found another use of QM in the diagnosis of breast lesions[9]. They found the combination of QM and SWS measurement improved the sensitivity from 50% to 93% without significant change in specificity (from 94% to 89%) and they believed that low QM might be a feature of malignancy[9]. It was aimed to identify the possible associated factors for QM in breast lesions and to validate the additional value of QM in the diagnosis of breast lesions

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