Breast imaging in coronal planes with simultaneous pulse echo and transmission ultrasound

Clear delineation of breast architecture was achieved with compound pulse echo ultrasound imaging in which the images were acquired in the coronal planes used for quantitative transmission ultrasonic computed tomography. Since most connective tissue planes in the breast radiate toward the nipple, compound scans from the sides of the breast record normal interfaces more consistently and reveal greater symmetries in normal portions of relatively full breasts than do conventional scans in sagittal or transverse planes. Simultaneous acquisition of the pulse echo images and images representing the local ultrasound attenuation coefficient and speed of ultrasound suggested complementary role for reflection and through-transmission images in breast cancer detection. The high quality of pulse echo images in coronal planes provides the potential for more complete pulse echo diagnosis and the basis for spatial correlation of lesions viewed in pulse echo and ultrasonic computed tomograms. These observations may permit routine ultrasonic computed tomography of the breast in the clinical setting.