Clinical Significance of Ultrasound Elastography and Fibrotic Focus and Their Association in Breast Cancer

• Published in: Journal of clinical medicine Vol. 11; no. 24; p. 7435
• Main Authors: Lee, Na-Rang, Oh, Hoon-Kyu, Jeong, Young-Ju
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 15.12.2022; MDPI
• Subjects: Age; Breast cancer; Chi-square test; Clinical medicine; Clinical significance; Collagen; Fibroblasts; Lymphatic system; Lymphocytes; Mammography; Metastasis; Multivariate analysis; Review boards; Tomography; Tumors; Ultrasonic imaging; breast cancer; elastography; prognostic biomarker; breast imaging; fibrotic focus; tissue stiffness
• ISSN: 2077-0383; 2077-0383
• DOI: 10.3390/jcm11247435

(1) Background: Ultrasound (US) elastography is an imaging technology that reveals tissue stiffness. This study aimed to investigate whether fibrotic focus (FF) affects elastographic findings in breast cancer, and to evaluate the clinical significance of US elastography and FF in breast cancer. (2) Methods: In this study, 151 patients with breast cancer who underwent surgery were included. Strain elastography was performed and an elasticity scoring system was used to assess the findings. The elasticity scores were classified as negative, equivocal, or positive. FF was evaluated in the surgical specimens. Medical records were reviewed for all patients. (3) Results: Elastographic findings were equivocal in 30 patients (19.9%) and positive in 121 patients (80.1%). FF was present in 68 patients (46.9%). There was no correlation between elastographic findings and FF. Older age, larger tumor size, lymph node metastasis, and higher tumor stage were associated with positive elastographic results. FF showed a positive correlation with age, postmenopausal status, tumor size, lymphovascular invasion, lymph node metastasis, tumor stage, and intratumoral and peritumoral inflammation. (4) Conclusions: Our study showed that positive elastographic results and FF were associated with poor prognostic factors for breast cancer. FF did not affect the elastographic findings of this study.