Characterization of Suspicious Microcalcifications on Mammography Using 2D Shear-Wave Elastography

Area of Science:

• Radiology
• Medical Imaging
• Oncology

Background:

• Microcalcifications (MCs) visualized by ultrasonography (USG) require accurate characterization.
• Distinguishing malignant from benign MCs is crucial for appropriate patient management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the correlation between two-dimensional shear-wave elastography (2D-SWE) findings and histopathologic results of ultrasonography-visible MCs.
• To evaluate the diagnostic performance of 2D-SWE in characterizing MCs.

Main Methods:

• Fifty patients with suspicious MCs underwent USG and 2D-SWE prior to USG-guided tru-cut biopsy.
• Statistical analysis, including Mann-Whitney U test and ROC analysis, compared SWE values with histopathologic features.
• Cut-off values were determined to discriminate malignancy, invasiveness, and high grade.

Main Results:

• A significant difference was observed in SWE values between malignant and benign MCs (p < 0.001).
• 2D-SWE demonstrated high diagnostic performance for malignancy (AUC: 0.952), invasiveness (AUC: 0.885), and high grade (AUC: 0.776).
• Determined cut-off values were 57 kPa for malignancy, 124 kPa for invasiveness, and 124.5 kPa for high grade.

Conclusions:

• 2D-SWE is a valuable tool for characterizing MCs detected by USG.
• The method shows significant potential in improving the clinical differentiation of suspicious MCs.
• SWE aids in assessing malignancy, invasiveness, and grade of MCs, supporting clinical decision-making.