[Analysis of receiver operating characteristic in the echographic diagnosis of breast tumors].

The echographic characteristics of 215 breast tumours were analysed. The validity of echomammography (EM) in the diagnosis of breast tumours was assessed by the analysis of receiver operating characteristic curves. The dependence of the success of the diagnosis on the rigour of the chosen diagnostic criteria is presented. In the same manner the successfulness of the evaluation of the nature of tumour was tested with various combinations of echographic diagnostic signs. By using the ROC curves of the prior and posterior probability of the disease and the detectability index, the degree of applicability of EM was compared in the diagnosis of carcinomas, cysts, and benign breast tumours.