Ultrasound Employed to Detect Breast Lumps among Symptomatic Patients in Tertiary Care Hospital

Abstract

Objective: To assess different pathological breast lesions in ultra sound in a subgroup of population.
Study design and setting: It was a cross sectional study conducted at Bolan Medical Complex Hospital Quetta, Pakistan
from June 2018 to January 2019.
Methodology: Total 103 patients with breast swelling, pain and discharge were targeted. Gray scale and Doppler Ultrasound
of breast followed by FNAC/biopsy of breast lesion was performed. Data presented as mean ± standard deviation for
continuous variables and frequency with percentages for categorical variables.
Results: Out of 48 clinically palpable lumps US detected all of 48 lumps and additionally 12 clinically non palpable masses
were detected on US examination. Thus, overall sensitivity of ultrasound in detecting breast lumps was 100%. Fibroadenoma
of the breast was diagnosed accurately in 80.3% of women. Ultrasound reliably differentiated cystic from solid breast
masses (100%). The sensitivity of ultrasound for detecting breast carcinoma was 63.4% with a positive predictive value
of 87.5%, a negative predictive value of 99.5% and accuracy of 58.33%. US findings most suggestive of benign lesions
were oval or round shape in 88.3%, well defined margin in 84%, absent lobulation in 86.04% and wider than taller ratio
in 90.69% of the cases.US findings of most predictive for malignancy were of irregular shape in 81.8%, ill-defined margin
in 90.9% and length to height ratio in 63.6% of cases.
Conclusion: Ultrasound is simple, cheap, safe and relatively accessible imaging modality for evaluation of breast pathologies.
Due to its high sensitivity in diagnosing benign breast lesions particularly cystic lesions and fibroadenoma unnecessary
interventions can be avoided.