Breast ultrasound with elastography - procedures that help increase the range of ultrasound examination. A visual check of the internal organs helps to get more detailed information. What is breast elastography? Sonoelastography of the mammary glands - examination of the mammary glands for their density. If there are any malignant tumors in the breast, the device determines the compacted places and gives them a detailed description.
Procedure description
Breast elastography - what is it? The tissues in the human body have good acoustic resistance, which becomes an obstacle to the passage of ultrasonic waves. Having reached two groups of cells with a different critical resistance value, the wave beam is divided: one part of it begins to be reflected, and the second goes further. Such borders are displayed on the screen of the ultrasonic device in the form of black, white and gray spots of varying intensity and localization.
The principle of the described procedure is based on the most popular examination method -palpation, which determines the condition of tissues based on their density. In 2010, a new technological development emerged in the medical field with its own algorithm for evaluating the results, which helped to begin to quickly determine the degree of damage to the neoplasm and density non-invasively. Breast elastography can be used to detect hardening in the organ, as well as diffuse changes.
When performing a conventional ultrasound without additional studies, the structure of the tissues of a malignant tumor is almost no different from the structure of a benign one.
How does it work?
It is elastography that will help to identify cancerous tumors that differ in their density and rigidity. It analyzes tissue elasticity by applying metered pressure. The compliance of tissues will directly depend on the force of pressing the transducer of the ultrasonic device.
Breast elastography - what is it? During the study, the ultrasonic wave propagates over the entire area of the breast tissues. By means of a specialized sensor, the received information is changed to color images on the monitor. Most often, areas painted in bright blue indicate the presence of a malignant tumor in the human body.
Elastography for tumor detection
Breast elastography - what is it? Breast cancer is considered the most dangerous of the most common diseases in women. Approximately 1 million women are diagnosed every year.
The main danger of suchconditions - the absence of symptoms at the first stage of the development of pathology, when it responds well to treatment. If a woman has symptoms that indicate the possible presence of breast cancer (severe fatigue, loss of appetite, pain), then even urgent surgery does not help in all cases.
Doctors advise every woman over the age of 25 to have an annual breast ultrasound, and for women over 40 to get a mammogram. Currently, elastography can easily compete with both ultrasound and mammograms, and even surpasses them in performance and image quality.
Pluses of the procedure
The main advantages of such a survey include:
- detection of benign and malignant tumors in the mammary gland;
- When determining the presence of a benign tumor, it is no longer necessary to conduct a biopsy;
- research results can be obtained at the time of neoplasm diagnosis.
Poorly distinguishable picture of a malignant tumor in the breast at the stage of absence of metastases, vague results after ultrasound and mammography lead to the need to conduct a mandatory collection of material for cytological or histological analysis. To take the material to the laboratory, it is necessary to invasively violate the integrity of tissues by piercing them. Elastography makes it possible to reveal the nature of a tumor with a diameter of at least 20 millimeters.
The main distinguishing feature of this research method- no contraindications to conduct. Even a woman who is breastfeeding and carrying a child can be diagnosed without much risk. Elastography provides more accurate information about the neoplasm and its location.
Ultrasound and elastography diagnostics
Ultrasound and elastography of the breast - what is it? When diagnosing and determining the etiology of a neoplasm using elastography, the resulting color images begin to be examined in detail by doctors, which allows them to decide on further treatment. For example, in the subcutaneous adipose tissue of the breast, over time, a seal of connective tissue may occur. As a rule, this is a simple lipoma of a benign nature, although during a simple ultrasound, a large wen on the monitor looks like an extensive neoplasm.
After its discovery, the doctor prescribes an additional laboratory and biochemical tests for the woman, as well as taking a puncture for histological analysis. When elastographic diagnosis on the monitor, a large lipoma is a separate area, colored in green.
This is what neoplasms look like, which are benign, have elastic tissues and do not pose any danger to the patient's he alth. There is no need to perform a biopsy and other examinations that require a lot of time.
Reviews of ultrasound with breast elastography are mostly positive. In addition to its speed, such a procedure is also useful in that it does not disturb the patient's calmness, does not bringshe is not stressed and allows her to calmly go through the study and wait for the results.
Pros of using the procedure
The advantages of ultrasound elastography of the mammary glands with lymphatic surfaces are:
- it is possible to determine the degree of deformation of tissues and the mammary gland as a whole;
- when a malignant formation is detected, the doctor will not have to prescribe additional measures to identify the surgical site - the neoplasm is visualized on the screen without errors;
- does not require patient preparation for an urgent examination
- the procedure lasts no more than 30 minutes, even if a large number of cysts and tumors are detected;
- image with good visibility provided to the doctor;
- high-precision imaging with a more specialized doctor;
- the procedure does not cause any pain or inconvenience to the patient;
- it is possible to immediately establish or refute the presence of a cancerous tumor in the mammary glands; if a woman has symptoms of a malignant tumor, you will not have to spend time on additional tests, but you can immediately start treatment.
Preventive examination
When conducting a study for preventive purposes through elastography in breast tissues, the doctor can determine the presence of cellular elements mixed with lymph or blood. Such a process indicates the presence of:
- inflammation;
- malignant tumors eitherof a benign nature.
Diagnosis of a cancerous tumor helps to immediately begin the passage of drug therapy in order to stop the negative process. The main distinguishing feature of such a diagnosis is the ability to identify cysts and fibroadenomas using a color picture. To prescribe treatment, all that remains is to consult a gynecologist.
With some female diseases of the reproductive system, it becomes necessary to assess the condition of the lymphatic vessels and nodes in the chest. At the same time, doctors prescribe elastography.
Features of the procedure
Elastography is performed to detect a benign or malignant formation and its elasticity using modern computer technology. When the sensor is pressed on the examined area of the mammary glands, the adipose tissue quickly deforms, and then restores its original state, which makes it possible to accurately distinguish it from a malignant formation.
Tissues of a cancerous tumor have a high density, therefore, when the sensor is pressed on the monitor of the device, it is well determined that the seal remains within its boundaries or only slightly changes its shape.
By types, elastography is divided into:
- shear wave elastography;
- compression elastography of the mammary glands.
Compression elastography
The doctor may prescribe one or another study, depending on the clinical picture. Type 5 breast elastographywill be slightly different from the second. When performing compression elastography, the chest is acted upon by pressing, and the result of the tissue structure and its deformation in all details is shown on the monitor in the form of a color picture. Further, the result is calculated based on information about the rigidity of the formation and a comparison of the density of adipose tissue on neighboring breast tissues. When performing compression elastography, not the hands of the doctor are used for compression, but only the reading sensor.
What device is used?
Recently used devices can do without a sensor, as their sensitivity is especially high. They independently read information about tissue deformation that occurs at the time of inhalation and exhalation of the patient. The index of tissue elasticity is encoded into mapping using color and superimposed on the picture. Most often, green color predominates: this shade displays fatty, connective and in some cases fibrous tissues. Blue color requires a biopsy.
Shear wave elastography
With shear wave elastography, you do not need to press the transducer on the chest - the device itself shifts the tissues, which guarantees a reliable result. The information obtained from this method of examination is based on the following physical criteria: maximum stiffness, sound wave propagation speed, average statistical data for comparison. The fabric is not deformed under the influence of mechanical compression, for this an ultrasonic pulse is used.
When conducting research by anyFrom the described methods, one can accurately understand whether there is an education, what its nature is and where it is distributed. Reviews of breast elastography are generally positive. Regardless of the size and depth of the neoplasm, it can be determined in just a few minutes.
The main advantage of this procedure is the ability to identify the quality of education - a malignant tumor needs to be removed immediately, and a benign one needs to be carefully monitored, in some cases cured.
