Three-dimensional shear wave elastography for differentiation of breast lesions: An initial study with quantitative...

Area of Science:

• Medical Imaging
• Diagnostic Ultrasound
• Elastography

Background:

• Breast lesion characterization relies on imaging modalities like ultrasound (US).
• Two-dimensional shear wave elastography (2D-SWE) provides quantitative stiffness information.
• Three-dimensional shear wave elastography (3D-SWE) offers potential for improved spatial assessment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the diagnostic performance of 3D-SWE for breast lesions.
• To compare stiffness measurements from transverse, sagittal, and coronal planes of 3D-SWE.
• To assess the combined diagnostic utility of 3D-SWE with BI-RADS classification.

Main Methods:

• Prospective study involving 122 patients with 122 breast lesions.
• Conventional US, 2D-SWE, and 3D-SWE were performed prior to biopsy.
• Maximum elasticity (Emax) was measured; AUC, sensitivity, and specificity were calculated.

Main Results:

• The sagittal plane of 3D-SWE demonstrated significantly higher AUC and sensitivity compared to transverse and coronal planes.
• Combined BI-RADS and 3D-SWE sets showed improved AUC and specificity over BI-RADS alone.
• BI-RADS combined with sagittal 3D-SWE yielded higher sensitivity than BI-RADS with 2D-SWE.

Conclusions:

• The sagittal plane of 3D-SWE is optimal for breast lesion diagnosis.
• Integrating 3D-SWE with BI-RADS classification improves prediction of malignant breast lesions.