RESUMEN
To determine whether ultrasonography [US] can depict breast lesions associated with mammographically detected clustered microcalcifications and whether the visibility at US is different between benign and malignant lesions. Fifty-two patients with mammographically detected microcalcification clusters underwent US with a 10MHz transducer before biopsy was done. The visibility of breast masses at US was correlated with histologic and mammographic findings. Surgical biopsy revealed seven benign lesions, 36 intraductal cancers, and nine invasive cancers. At US, breast masses associated with microcalcifications were seen in 94.2% of cases. US depicted more breast masses associated with malignant 100% than with benign 57% microcalcifications [statistically significant]. In malignant microcalcification clusters larger than 10mm, US depicted associated breast masses in all cases. There was no statistically significant difference in shape and distribution ofcalcific particles, as well as in breast composition, at mammography between US visible and invisible groups. Given a known mammographic location, US with a high-frequency transducer can depict breast masses associated with malignant microcalcifications, particularly clusters larger than 10mm. US can be used to visualize large clusters of microcalcifications that have a very high suspicion of malignancy.