[Application of real-time tissue elastography in diagnosis of breast cancer].

Objective: To investigate the clinical value of real-time tissue elastography (RTE) in the diagnosis of breast cancer.

Methods: One hundred and twenty patients with breast lumps (135 lesions) were examined with B-mode imaging, color Doppler flowing imaging (CDFI) and RTE. The elastogram was graded using 5-score evaluating method. The postoperative pathological diagnosis was used as gold standard, and the sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of RTE and two-dimensional ultrasonography combined with RTE in diagnosis of breast cancer were calculated.

Result: When the score >4 was set for cut-off criteria of malignancy, the sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of RTE was 85.45%, 83.75% and 84.4%, respectively. While two-dimensional ultrasonography combined with RTE was used, the sensitivity, specificity and accuracy increased up to 100%, 95% and 97%, respectively.

Conclusion: RTE combined with two-dimensional ultrasonography can improve the validity in the diagnosis of malignant breast lesions.