Sonographic elastography improves the sensitivity and specificity of axilla sampling in breast cancer: a prospective study.

We describe a study to determine whether elastography of axillary lymph nodes (LNs) combined with B-mode ultrasound (US) is capable of differentiating the benign from the metastatic state in patients with breast cancer. B-mode US, elastography and fine-needle aspiration of 90 axillary lymph nodes from 89 female patients with breast cancer are described in this report. Five elastographic patterns were observed as defined by the percentages of high elasticity according to pattern of distribution and degree of hardness of the target LNs. B-mode US and elastography scores were combined to give the final scores. Sensitivity and specificity were 80% and 88%, respectively, for B-mode US alone, 86% and 90% for elastography alone and 84% and 98% for the combined assessment to differentiate the benign from the malignant state. The combination of B-mode US and elastography is capable of identifying metastatic axillary LNs from benign enlargement in patients with breast cancer.