[Ultrasonographic delineation of breast cancer and histopathological characteristics]

Sixty-two patients with breast cancer were evaluated as to the relationship between ultrasonographic images and the pathological findings. Gross configuration of breast cancer was evaluated; knobby type was revealed in 53 cases, stellate type in 7, and spiculate type in 2. Percentage of cellular component was measured histologically, and knobby type proved to be rich in cancer cell in the outer part (61.1 +/- 22.0%), but scarce in the inner part (13.5 +/- 17.3%, p less than 0.01). Also the dissociation between the diameter of hypoechoic area on ultrasonogram (1.84 +/- 0.91 cm) and that on the cut-surface of resected specimen (2.38 +/- 0.96 cm, p less than 0.01) was noted. Meanwhile, other types (stellate or spiculate type) had small number of cancer cells not only in the inner part (9.8 +/- 9.5%) but also in the outer part (28.4 +/- 17.2%). Besides, there was no difference between the diameter on ultrasonogram (1.71 +/- 0.71 cm) and that on the cut-surface (1.82 +/- 0.69 cm). These results suggest that ultrasonography can delineate the entirety of diffusely fibrous breast cancer, but can hardly depict the outer part of the lesion which is fibrous in the inner part and cellular in the outer part. Latter phenomenon can be a clue to diagnose breast cancer from the view point of its heterogeneity.