Malignant hyperechoic breast lesions at ultrasound: A pictorial essay

• Published in: Journal of medical imaging and radiation oncology Vol. 60; no. 4; pp. 506 - 513
• Main Authors: Tiang, Stephen, Metcalf, Cecily, Dissanayake, Deepthi, Wylie, Elizabeth
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Australia Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.08.2016; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Subjects: Aged; Breast - diagnostic imaging; breast imaging; Breast Neoplasms - diagnostic imaging; Diagnosis, Differential; Female; Humans; hyperechoic; malignancy; Mammography - methods; Middle Aged; Ultrasonic imaging; Ultrasonography, Mammary - methods; ultrasound; hyperechoic; malignancy; breast imaging; ultrasound
• ISSN: 1754-9477; 1754-9485
• DOI: 10.1111/1754-9485.12468

Summary Malignant breast lesions are typically hypoechoic at sonography. However, a small subgroup of hyperechoic malignant breast lesions is encountered in clinical practice. We present a pictorial essay of a number of different hyperechoic breast malignancies with mammographic, sonographic and histopathologic correlation. Suspicious sonographic features in a hyperechoic lesion include inhomogeneity in echogenic pattern, an irregular margin, posterior acoustic shadowing and internal vascularity. A hyperechoic lesion at ultrasound does not discount the need to undertake histological assessment of a mammographically suspicious lesion.