Application of breast ultrasound in a mammography-based Chinese breast screening study

We evaluated the clinical significance of the combined use of mammography + ultrasound as a new breast screening strategy. The inclusion criteria were: (1) females aged >40yrs; (2) breast cancer diagnosis by the breast image screening personnel at FUSCC; (3) screening by both ultrasound and mammography; (4) mammographic/sonographic images analyzed independently by different radiologists; and (5) follow-up for at least 1 year. Fifty-four women were enrolled. The analysis included diagnostic sensitivity of mammography, ultrasound, and mammography + ultrasound. The sensitivities of mammography and mammography + ultrasound were compared overall as well as among different age groups/breast densities. The screening sensitivity of mammography, ultrasound, and mammography + ultrasound was 79.6, 57.4, and 92.6 %, respectively. The difference between mammography and mammography + ultrasound was significant (P < 0.05). The benefit of including ultrasound with mammography as a new breast image screening strategy was found statistically significant in patients with dense breast on mammogram while it was non-significant in younger (<50 years) women. We, therefore, concluded that mammography + ultrasound increased the diagnostic sensitivity of breast screening; hence it was more desirable for women with dense breast on mammography.