TITLE:
Ultrasound Alongside with Mammogram in Women with Physically Dense Breast
AUTHORS:
Fadak S. Alshayookh, Howayda M. Ahmed, Ibrahim A. Awad, Saddig D. Jastaniah
KEYWORDS:
Ultrasound, Mammogram, Dense Breasts, Women Breasts
JOURNAL NAME:
Advances in Breast Cancer Research,
Vol.3 No.3,
July
8,
2014
ABSTRACT: We report usefulness of
ultrasound used as an adjunct diagnostic tool to mammogram in routine annual
checkup for women breasts of certain ages and breast mass. The purpose of
breast imaging is to detect areas of tissue distortion and breast cancers. A
mammogram is the common diagnostic imaging modality used to find breast
diseases but sometimes the mammogram might not give the doctor enough information
especially in women with dense breasts. As a result, the patient may be asked
to undergo ultrasound or magnetic resonance imaging as a better mean of
judgment to the case. Because ultrasound is widely used, simple and safe to
patients we were encouraged to emphasis on exploring its role adjunct to
mammogram. A retrospective observation study was done at the diagnostic
radiology department at King Abdulaziz University Hospital (KAUH) in the period
from January 2012 to June 2012; we covered all women with dense breasts in
mammography and ultrasound units. The study group was 40 patients. All patients
were imaged with both mammography and ultrasound. The statistical measures of
accuracy, sensitivity and specificity were calculated using the SPSS program.
The results we obtained suggest that age and the physical density of breast
potentially affect mammogram images of women with 41 years or smaller with
sensitivity 66% and specificity 68%. Therefore, we recommend using ultrasound
alongside the mammogramin women
with dense breast for better diagnosis of small cancers that were not
identified on mammography or clinical breast examination alone.