ABSTRACT
Objective:To evaluate the accuracy of two-dimensional ultrasound(2D-US), three-dimensional volume ultrasound (3D-US) and ultrasound strain elastography (USE) in the measurement of preoperative tumor size of breast cancer and its influencing factors.Methods:A total of 101 patients with breast cancer in Nanfang Hospital of Southern Medical University from April to November 2016 were recruited in this study. The maximum diameter of the lesion was examined by 2D-US 3D-US and USE before core needle biopsy or surgery biopsy. The Bland-Altman analysis and intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) were used to analyze the consistency between the ultrasonic technique measurements and the pathological measurements of postoperative lesion. Chi-square test or Fisher exact test was used to analyze whether the accuracy of three imaging techniques was affected by different clinical pathologic factors and imaging characteristics.Results:3D-US showed better agreement with histology than 2D-US and USE, with a higher ICC (ICC 3D-US=0.90>ICC 2D-US=0.81>ICC SUE=0.78) and low variation. In 3D-US, the accuracy rate of the age >40 years old group was higher than ≤40 years old group. In 2D-US, the measurement accuracy of invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) without intraductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) group was higher than DCIS with DCIS group, non-microcalcifications group was more accurate than microcalcifications group. The long diameter of lesion ≤2 cm group was more accurate than >2 cm group, IDC group was more accurate than invasive lobular carcinoma(ILC) group. In USE, the measurement accuracy of IDC without DCIS group was higher than DCIS with DCIS group, non-microcalcifications group was more accurate than microcalcifications group. All the differences mentioned above were statistically significant(all P<0.05). Conclusions:For accurate measurement of the size of breast cancer lesions, 3D-US is the best, which is least affected by clinicopathological factors and imaging features, followed by 2D-US and USE. This has certain significance for clinically determining the extent of breast cancer lesions.