PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of angiosonography in comparison with colour Doppler ultrasound (US) in the discrimination of suspicious breast lesions with nondiagnostic fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Pre-operative Power Doppler US and angiosonography were prospectively performed in 20 suspicious breast lesions with non-diagnostic FNAC. A second-generation US contrast agent was utilised with a high-frequency transducer and a contrast-specific algorithm (low acoustic pressure CnTI). The enhancement characteristics of all lesions were analysed using qualitative and quantitative parameters obtained from time-intensity curves with the different imaging modalities. The final diagnosis was confirmed at pathology in all cases. Microvessel density (MVD) was assessed in the surgical specimen using CD34. RESULTS: The correct assessment of biological behaviour was achieved in all cases by angiosonography (sensitivity of 100%; specificity of 91%) and colour Doppler US (45% sensitivity; 78% specificity). MVD correlated with the biological behaviour. CONCLUSIONS: Angiosonography is more accurate than colour Doppler US in the correct assessment of biological behaviour of suspicious breast lesions.
PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of angiosonography in comparison with colour Doppler ultrasound (US) in the discrimination of suspicious breast lesions with nondiagnostic fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Pre-operative Power Doppler US and angiosonography were prospectively performed in 20 suspicious breast lesions with non-diagnostic FNAC. A second-generation US contrast agent was utilised with a high-frequency transducer and a contrast-specific algorithm (low acoustic pressure CnTI). The enhancement characteristics of all lesions were analysed using qualitative and quantitative parameters obtained from time-intensity curves with the different imaging modalities. The final diagnosis was confirmed at pathology in all cases. Microvessel density (MVD) was assessed in the surgical specimen using CD34. RESULTS: The correct assessment of biological behaviour was achieved in all cases by angiosonography (sensitivity of 100%; specificity of 91%) and colour Doppler US (45% sensitivity; 78% specificity). MVD correlated with the biological behaviour. CONCLUSIONS: Angiosonography is more accurate than colour Doppler US in the correct assessment of biological behaviour of suspicious breast lesions.