A Comparative Study of Palpable and Nonpalpable Breast Cancers determined by Ultrasonography

摘要

Purpose The aim of this study was to investigate any difference of ultrasound findings for palpable and nonpalpable breast cancers. Methods Two hundred breast cancer patients that had undergone preoperative ultrasound and surgery were enrolled in the study. A total of 126 cancers were palpable, and the remaining 74 cancers were nonpalpable. We compared lesion characteristics using ultrasound images according to the BI-RADS?-Ultrasound guidelines of the American College of Radiology. A crude odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated for a comparison of the palpable and nonpalpable breast cancers. Results Nonpalpable cancers displayed more often an oval shape (OR=0.35, 95% CI=0.17-0.70), no posterior acoustic features (OR=0.50, 95% CI=0.28-0.89), and a parallel orientation (OR=0.50, 95% CI=0.28-0.89). An irregular shape (OR=2.98, 95% CI=1.60-5.54), a spiculated margin (OR=2.66, 95% CI=1.23-5.74), and a combined pattern of posterior acoustic features (OR=7.20, 95% CI=1.64-31.66) were more commonly observed in the palpable cancers. Conclusion Palpable and nonpalpable breast cancers were found to have different ultrasound characteristics.