[Value of ultrasonic testing and sonographic differential diagnosis in mammary cysts]

Echography of the breast was performed in 100 women in whom palpation had prompted suspicion of the presence of a cyst. Examination was done with a real-time scanner with a 2.5 or 5 mhz freely mobile soundhead. Cysts were detected in 56 women by this sonographic method. Approximately 9% of these were complicated cysts requiring surgical treatment. Although sonography facilitates identification of, single or of multiple cysts, it will be necessary to perform pneumocystography and x-ray film examination in two projections on first examination in order to exclude complicated cysts, since mere sonographic control after puncture of the cyst is too inaccurate for identifying complicated cysts.