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Abstract In this integrative review, we aimed to describe the records of time devoted by physicians to breast ultrasound in a review of articles in the literature, in order to observe whether the automation of the method enabled a reduction in these values. We selected articles from the Latin American and Caribbean Literature in Health Sciences (LILACS) and MEDLINE databases, through Virtual Health Library (BVS), SciELO (Scientific Electronic Library Online), PubMed, and Scopus. We obtained 561 articles, and, after excluding duplicates and screening procedures, 9 were selected, whose main information related to the guiding question of the research was synthesized and analyzed. It was concluded that the automation of breast ultrasound represents a possible strategy for optimization of the medical time dedicated to the method, but this needs to be better evaluated in comparative studies between both methods (traditional and automated), with methodology directed to the specific investigation of this potentiality.

Resumo Na presente revisão integrativa, objetivamos descrever os registros de tempo dedicado pelos médicos à ultrassonografia mamária em revisão de artigos da literatura, visando observar se a automação do método possibilitou redução destes valores. Selecionamos artigos nas bases de dados Literatura Latino-Americana e do Caribe em Ciências da Saúde (LILACS) e MEDLINE, através da Biblioteca Virtual em Saúde (BVS), Scientific Electronic Library Online (SciELO), PubMed e Scopus. Obtivemos 561 artigos e, após a exclusão de artigos duplicados e procedimentos de triagem, foram selecionados 9 artigos, cujas informações principais relativas à pergunta norteadora da pesquisa foram sintetizadas e analisadas. Foi concluído que a automação da ultrassonografia mamária representa uma possível estratégia de otimização do tempo médico dedicado ao método; porém, essa conclusão necessita ser melhor avaliada em estudos comparativos entre ambos os métodos (tradicional e automatizado), com metodologia direcionada à investigação específica desta potencialidade.

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Breast radiology has undergone significant advances in recent years, and, naturally, several possibilities open up for attending physicians. Concomitantly, it increases the responsibility to keep up to date and provide the best care for each patient. Aware of the complex implications that the implementation of some of the technological advances may bring, such as increased costs, limited availability of equipment, and a potential increase in examination time, the objective of this study is to carry out a narrative review and provide a collection of advances that, in our opinion, are already gaining ground and should be consolidated in clinical practice. We will discuss new breast imaging methods that can be used both for screening and for the diagnostic investigation of breast lesions and we will summarize the most relevant aspects of each of them, addressing the technique, applicability, positive aspects, and limitations of each modality in a standardized way. (AU)

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Objective: To evaluate a not yet described ultrasound finding, the dilation of the intra-papillary portion of the lactiferous duct in patients with or without abnormal nipple discharge Methods: 24 patients with pathological nipple discharge and intrapapillary duct dilation and 1,255 asymptomatic patients (control group) were studied. Results: Just one asymptomatic patient had intrapapillary duct dilation. Among the symptomatic patients, 19 were biopsied: ten with exclusively percutaneous approach, six with exclusively surgical approach, and three with an initial percutaneous and then a surgical approach. There was one invasive carcinoma and two carcinomas in situ (15.8% of the biopsied patients). In 11 patients, a papilloma was found, three of them with atypia. In one patient, ultrasonography identified intrapapillary extension of microcalcifications, and another patient a changed duct diametrically opposite to the duct which had a trigger point. In these two patients, the examination changed the treatment strategy. In two other patients, an extra-papillary finding was identified only after the intrapapillary duct dilation has been encountered. Conclusion: The intrapapillary duct dilation is a new ultrasonography sign that adds sensitivity to the evaluation of the patient with pathological nipple discharge, besides helping to find the lesion and to guide the treatment. Further research is needed to determine its prevalence and its positive and negative predictive values for cancer, atypia and papilloma

Objetivo: Avaliar um achado de ultrassonografia inédito (dilatação intrapapilar do duto lactífero) em pacientes portadoras de fluxo papilar patológico e em pacientes assintomáticas. Métodos: Foram estudadas 24 portadoras de fluxo papilar patológico e dilatação ductal intrapapilar e 1.255 pacientes assintomáticas (grupo controle). Resultados: Apenas uma paciente assintomática apresentou dilatação ductal intrapapilar. Entre as pacientes sintomáticas, 19 foram biopsiadas, 10 com abordagem exclusivamente percutânea, 6 com abordagem exclusivamente cirúrgica e 3 com abordagem inicialmente percutânea e depois cirúrgica. Houve um carcinoma invasor e dois carcinomas in situ (15,8% das pacientes biopsiadas). Em 11 pacientes foi encontrado papiloma, 3 deles com atipias. Em uma paciente a ultrassonografia identificou extensão intrapapilar de microcalcificações e em outra, um duto alterado diametralmente oposto ao duto com sinal do gatilho clínico. Nessas duas pacientes o exame mudou a estratégia de tratamento. Em duas pacientes, um achado extrapapilar só foi identificado após o encontro da dilatação ductal intrapapilar. Conclusão: A dilatação ductal intrapapilar é novo sinal ultrassonográfico que agrega sensibilidade à avaliação da paciente com fluxo papilar patológico, além de ajudar a encontrar a lesão e a orientar o tratamento. São necessárias pesquisas adicionais para determinar sua prevalência e seus valores preditivos positivo e negativo para câncer, atipias e papilomas.

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Ultrasonic phantoms are objects that mimic some features of biological tissues, allowing the study of their interactions with ultrasound (US). In the diagnostic-imaging field, breast phantoms are an important tool for testing performance and optimizing US systems, as well as for training medical professionals. This paper describes the design and manufacture of breast lesions by using polyvinyl chloride plastisol (PVCP) as the base material. Among the materials available for this study, PVCP was shown to be stable, durable, and easy to handle. Furthermore, it is a nontoxic, nonpolluting, and low-cost material. The breast's glandular tissue (image background) was simulated by adding graphite powder with a concentration of 1% to the base material. Mixing PVCP and graphite powder in differing concentrations allows one to simulate lesions with different echogenicity patterns (anechoic, hypoechoic, and hyperechoic). From this mixture, phantom materials were obtained with speed of sound varying from 1379.3 to 1397.9ms(-1) and an attenuation coefficient having values between 0.29 and 0.94dBcm(-1) for a frequency of 1MHz at 24°C. A single layer of carnauba wax was added to the lesion surface in order to evaluate its applicability for imaging. The images of the phantoms were acquired using commercial ultrasound equipment; a specialist rated the images, elaborating diagnoses representative of both benign and malignant lesions. The results indicated that it was possible to easily create a phantom by using low-cost materials, readily available in the market and stable at room temperature, as the basis of ultrasonic phantoms that reproduce the image characteristics of fatty breast tissue and typical lesions of the breast.

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OBJECTIVES: Despite evidence suggesting that Doppler ultrasonography can help to differentiate between benign and malignant breast lesions, it is rarely applied in clinical practice. The aim of this study was to determine whether certain vascular features of breast masses observed by duplex Doppler and color Doppler ultrasonography (before and/or after microbubble contrast injection) add information to the gray-scale analysis and support the Breast Imaging-Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) classification. METHODS: Seventy solid lesions were prospectively evaluated with gray-scale ultrasonography, color Doppler ultrasonography, and contrast-enhanced ultrasonography. The morphological analysis and lesion vascularity were correlated with the histological results. RESULTS: Percutaneous core biopsies revealed that 25/70 (17.5%) lesions were malignant, while 45 were benign. Hypervascular lesions with tortuous and central vessels, a resistive index (RI)≥0.73 before contrast injection, and an RI≥0.75 after contrast injection were significantly predictive of malignancy (p<0.001). CONCLUSION: The combination of gray-scale ultrasonography data with unenhanced or enhanced duplex Doppler and color Doppler US data can provide diagnostically useful information. These techniques can be easily implemented because Doppler devices are already present in most health centers. .

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OBJETIVO: Avaliar o desempenho de parâmetros morfométricos, calculados a partir do contorno de lesões de mama em ultrassonografias, na quantificação de suas características morfológicas e na distinção das categorias 2, 3, 4 e 5 do sistema de classificação ecográfica BI-RADS. MATERIAIS E MÉTODOS: A casuística é composta por 40 casos com registro ortogonal de pacientes submetidas à cirurgia. A partir das lesões segmentadas, foram calculados cinco parâmetros morfométricos para quantificar o contorno e a forma das lesões: razão de área, razão de superposição, valor residual normalizado, circularidade e razão entre largura e profundidade. A análise discriminante linear foi usada para selecionar os parâmetros mais significativos na distinção das características morfológicas das lesões, usando como figura de mérito a curva ROC. RESULTADOS: A razão de superposição foi capaz de diferenciar estatisticamente as lesões classificadas como BI-RADS 3 daquelas classificadas como BI-RADS 4 (a = 5 por cento; p = 0,015), sendo, também, o parâmetro morfométrico que apresentou melhor desempenho na diferenciação entre lesões malignas e benignas. CONCLUSÃO: Este resultado indica que a análise morfométrica de lesões de mama em ultrassonografias tem potencial para auxiliar na distinção de pacientes que deveriam ser submetidas à biópsia, daquelas que poderiam manter controle por métodos de imagem.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the performance of morphometric parameters calculated from breast lesion contours at ultrasonography, in the quantification of morphological features and in the distinction among BI-RADS categories 2, 3, 4 and 5. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The present casuistry included 40 cases, with orthogonal imaging of patients submitted to surgery. Based on the lesions segmentation, the following five morphometric parameters were calculated: area ratio, overlap ratio, normalized residual value, circularity and depth-to-width ratio. Linear discriminant analysis was applied to select the best parameters, and ROC curve was utilized as figure of merit. RESULTS: Overlap ratio was able to statistically distinguish breast lesions classified as BI-RADS 3 from others classified as BI-RADS 4 (a = 5 percent; p = 0.015). Additionally, such parameter presented the best performance in the differentiation between malignant and benign breast lesions. CONCLUSION: These results indicate that morphometric analysis of breast lesions at ultrasonography seems to be helpful in distinguishing patients who should undergo biopsy from those to be followed-up only with imaging methods.

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PURPOSE: To evaluate the outcomes and diagnostic performance of ultrasonography after a Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (Bi-RADS) category 0 mammogram. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This retrospective study reviewed 4,384 consecutive patients who underwent a screening mammography from January 2005 to July 2006; 391 of the 4,384 exams were classified as Bi-RADS category 0. After exclusions, 241 patients received subsequent sonogram. Ultrasonography was considered diagnostic when the Bi-RADS category was changed to 2, 4, or 5, and it was considered indeterminate (Bi-RADS 3) when the results indicated that the patients should return for a mammographic follow-up. The outcomes of these patients were assessed to evaluate the diagnostic performance of ultrasonography. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients was 53.3 years (ranging from 35 to 81). Of the 241 patients, ultrasonography was considered diagnostic in 146 (60.6 percent) patients and indeterminate in 95 (39.4 percent) patients. In the diagnostic group, 111 out of 146 patients (70.2 percent) had a sonogram result of Bi-RADS category 2 after a 2-year follow-up without evidence of malignancy. Furthermore, 35 out of 146 patients (29.8 percent) had a suspicious sonogram with a result of Bi-RADS category 4. After a tissue sampling procedure, 10 patients were confirmed to have breast cancer, and 25 had benign histopathological features without any evidence of malignancy after a 2-year follow-up. The sensitivity of ultrasonography was 100 percent, specificity was 89.1 percent, and overall accuracy was 89.6 percent. CONCLUSIONS: Based on the degree of resolution and its diagnostic performance, ultrasonography was determined to be an excellent method for the subsequent evaluation of Bi-RADS 0 mammograms.

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OBJETIVO: Avaliar as características de textura de lesões de mama em imagens por ultrassom de pacientes submetidas a cirurgia conservadora que apresentaram, ou não, recidiva. MATERIAIS E MÉTODOS: As imagens de ultrassom de 36 pacientes submetidas a cirurgia conservadora, com 12 tendo apresentado recidiva local e 24 que não apresentaram recidiva no local da cirurgia, foram divididas em: 3 malignas na mama oposta, 7 nódulos benignos, 5 hiperplasias atípicas e 9 alterações fibrocísticas. A textura das lesões foi quantificada utilizando-se dez parâmetros calculados da matriz de coocorrência e da curva de complexidade. Análise discriminante linear foi aplicada aos parâmetros para discriminação de lesões de mama em pacientes submetidas a cirurgia conservadora que apresentaram, ou não, recidiva. RESULTADOS: Avaliando-se a capacidade dos parâmetros em distinguir as recidivas do grupo composto por lesões não recidivas benignas e hiperplasias atípicas, obteve-se especificidade de 100 por cento, com valores de acurácia e sensibilidade superiores a 91 por cento. Num segundo teste, foi possível distinguir as cinco hiperplasias, das lesões não recidivas benignas. CONCLUSÃO: Apesar do número reduzido de casos, os resultados obtidos são encorajadores, sugerindo que o uso da quantificação da textura pode auxiliar na diferenciação entre lesões benignas, hiperplasias atípicas e lesões malignas de origem recidiva.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to assess the features of breast lesion texture on sonographic images of patients submitted to breast-conserving surgery, with or without tumor recurrence. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sonographic images of 36 patients submitted to conservative surgery for breast cancer, 12 of them with, and 24 without local recurrence, included 3 contralateral malignant lesions, 7 benign lumps (3 cysts and 4 fibroadenomas), 5 atypical hyperplasias and 9 fibrocystic changes. The quantification of features of breast lesion texture was based on ten parameters calculated from gray-level co-occurrence matrix and complexity curve. Linear discriminant analysis was applied to the texture parameters for differentiating between breast lesions in women submitted to conservative surgery with and without tumor recurrence. RESULTS: The assessment of performance of texture parameters in distinguishing lesion recurrences in a group including benign lumps and atypical hyperplasias demonstrated specificity of 100 percent, and accuracy and sensitivity > 91 percent. Another test demonstrated that texture parameters were useful in the differentiation between atypical hyperplasias and benign lumps. CONCLUSION: Despite the limited number of cases, the present results can be considered as promising, suggesting that texture parameters may help in the differentiation among benign lumps, atypical hyperplasias and recurrent malignant lesions.

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