[Practical aspects of breast ultrasound]

Breast ultrasound has become an important part of senological investigation and is considered as the most important complementary method to mammography. The strengths of ultrasound are the evaluation of the juvenile radiodense breast, peripherical breast lesions and the evaluation of mammary cysts. After the general examination of the mammary gland and its surroundings, breast lesions are evaluated based on the following criteria: shape and border of the tumor, structural breaks, tumor protuberances and posterior shadowing or enhancement, compressibility and shifting. The sensitivity of breast ultrasound in finding breast cancer is around 90%, its specifity 80% are lower in small tumors. That's why ultrasound must be combined with clinical findings and other imaging like mammogaphy and MRI to find a reliable diagnosis. A histological work up is indicated if not all the methods show benign findings.