Three-dimensional and Two-dimensional Shear Wave Elastography: Associations of Quantitative Elasticity Values with...

The aim of the study was to investigate the correlation of three-dimensional (3D) and two-dimensional (2D) quantitative shear-wave elastography (SWE) with prognostic factors in invasive breast cancer.

Ninety-four female patients with 94 breast lesions were tested using B-mode ultrasound and SWE. 3D and 2D quantitative SWE characteristics, including elastic modulus standard deviation (E_SD) and maximum elasticity (E_max), were evaluated. The pathological prognostic indicators for breast cancer were assessed, encompassing factors such as tumor dimensions, histological grade, lymph node involvement, the status of histologic biomarkers, and the classification of tumor subtypes. Associations between 3D and 2D quantitative SWE values and prognostic factors of breast tumors were analyzed.

The quantitative parameters E_max and E_SD exhibited a notable correlation with tumor size subgroups (3D: P = 0.002 and P = 0.024; 2D: P = 0.003 and P = 0.008), and had a positive correlation with tumor size (3D: E_max P = 0.379, P = 0.0002, E_SD P = 0.234, P = 0.023; 2D: E_max P = 0.398, P = 0.000, E_SD P = 0.361, P = 0.004). The E_max and E_SD of breast cancer patients exhibiting lymph node metastasis were markedly elevated in comparison to those without lymph node metastasis (3D: P = 0.024 and P = 0.036; 2D: P = 0.031 and P = 0.011). E_max and E_SD except for E_SD in 3D SWE were markedly elevated in Ki-67-positive breast cancers than in negatively expressed breast cancers (3D: P = 0.033 and P = 0.105; 2D: P = 0.044 and P = 0.029). Combined BIRADS and 3D and 2D quantitative parameters demonstrated moderate diagnostic efficacy in predicting lymph node metastasis (area under the curve = 0.714).

3D and 2D quantitative parameters E_max and E_SD demonstrate significant associations with prognostic factors in invasive breast cancer, including tumor size, lymph node involvement, and Ki-67 expression.