[Sonography of the irradiated breast]

Sonography was carried out in 30 patients several weeks and up to ten years after conservative surgery followed by irradiation of the breast. The changes due to radiotherapy generally lead to a diffuse increase in echogenicity, as compared with the normal breast. The changes are most marked in the early phase after treatment. They include widening of the cutaneous reflex. Sometimes there is a double contour, indicating oedema of the skin, increased echo from the subcutaneous fat and masking of Cooper's ligaments. Sometimes the increased echoes may obscure detail in the deeper glandular components. Localise recurrences are easily distinguished from the highly echogenic tissues. Bearing in mind the limitations of the method, ultrasound can be used with advantage in addition to clinical examination and mammography for follow-up of breast tumours after radiotherapy as well as in primary diagnosis.