Variations in the Elasticity of Breast Tissue During the Menstrual Cycle Determined by Real-time Sonoelastography

The purpose of this study was to determine the dependence of breast tissue elasticity on the menstrual cycle of healthy volunteers by means of real-time sonoelastography.

Twenty-two healthy volunteers (aged 18-33 years) were examined once weekly during two consecutive menstrual cycles using sonoelastography. Group 1 (n= 10) was not taking hormonal medication; group 2 (n = 12) was taking oral contraceptives.

The breast parenchyma appeared softer than the dermis and harder than the adipose tissue, and elasticity varied over the menstrual cycle and between groups. Group 1 (no hormone intake) showed continuously increasing elasticity with relatively soft breast parenchyma in the menstrual and follicular phases and harder parenchyma in the luteal phase (P = .012). Group 2 (oral contraceptives) showed no statistically significant changes in breast parenchymal elasticity according to sonoelastography. The parenchyma was generally softer in group 1 compared with group 2 throughout the menstrual cycle (P = .033). The dermis, the subcutaneous adipose tissue, and the pectoralis major muscle showed no changes in elasticity. Comparison of measurements made during the first and the second menstrual cycles showed similar patterns of elasticity in both groups.

Sonoelastography is a reproducible method that can be used to determine the dependence of breast parenchyma elasticity on the menstrual cycle and on the intake of hormonal contraceptives.