Role of micropure ultrasound in the assessment of grouped breast microcalcifications with or without a mass lesion

Abstract

Background Grouped microcalcifications are the tiny grouping of the many calcifications seen on mammography. For pathological examination of mass-free clustered microcalcifications, a mammography is considered because its visualization by conventional ultrasound is limited. Therefore, MicroPure imaging improves its detection and visualization. Objective This study aimed to evaluate the accuracy of MicroPure ultrasound in the diagnosis and characterization of breast microcalcifications with or without a mass in women undergoing-guided biopsies by ultrasound. Patients and methods Thirty women who were referred for breast imaging and diagnosis from Surgery and Oncology Departments to the Radiodiagnosis Department at Tanta Cancer Center were included in this study. Results In terms of diagnosis, 26 (86.7%) women had a mass, in two women (6.7%), a mass was discovered during screening and in two women (6.7%), a mass was discovered during follow-up. There were 26 (86.7%) women with a clustered distribution and four (13.3%) with a segmental distribution. The mean value of microcalcification detected by mammography was 12.87±6.64. Eleven women (36.7%) had benign masses and 19 (63.3%) had malignant masses. In terms of histopathology, 11 (36.7%) women were ductal carcinoma in situ, eight (26.7%) were invasive ductal carcinoma, six (20%) with distal hyperplasia without atypia, two (6.7%) with atypical ductal hyperplasia, two (6.7%) with sclerosing adenosis and one (3.3%) with fibroadenosis. Regarding ultrasound B (US B) mode, 17 (56.7%) women were visible and 13 (43.4%) were not visible. Regarding MicroPure, 25 (83.3%) women were visible and five (16.7%) were not visible. The mean value of microcalcification detected by MicroPure and US B mode are 8.8±6.61 and 5.97±6.7, respectively. Conclusions MicroPure scanning is a hopeful ultrasound tool that might enhance the sensitivity for diagnosis clustered microcalcifications which are not combined with breast mass on mammography.