Pilot study of high-frequency ultrasound to assess cutaneous oedema in the conservatively managed breast

Cutaneous oedema is a relatively frequent complication in patients treated conservatively for breast cancer. The factors that contribute to this complication have not been precisely determined. We performed a pilot study to assess the usefulness of high-frequency ultrasound as a quantitative measure of cutaneous oedema. Eleven patients undergoing breast-conserving therapy for breast cancer were studied. Both the treated and untreated breasts were examined. Total cutaneous thickness provided a useful measure of cutaneous oedema. The treated breast was significantly thicker than the untreated breast (P < 0.001). The medial aspect of the breast was thicker than the lateral aspect in both the treated and untreated breast (P < 0.001). The increase in cutaneous thickness predated radiotherapy in those patients who had undergone an axillary dissection. Intrapatient variation in skin thickness was much less than interpatient variation in skin thickness (coefficient of variation 6.4% vs. 18.2% for the untreated breast; coefficient of variation 13.9% vs. 30.9% for the treated breast). Increasing cutaneous thickness was associated with decreasing cutaneous echodensity. We were unable to derive quantitative estimates of echodensity. Cutaneous oedema is an important outcome variable following conservative treatment of breast cancer. High-frequency ultrasound is able to quantify this accurately. It can readily detect changes invisible to the naked eye. High-frequency ultrasound should enable the effects of different treatment options (e.g., extent of surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy) on cutaneous oedema to be differentiated and for the time course of oedema to be accurately characterised.