ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To analyze the relationship between the features of preoperative contrast-enhanced ultrasound and the differentiation of symptoms and signs for syndrome classification by traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). METHODS: Eighty-two patients with malignant breast tumor were examined with contrast-enhanced ultrasound before the operation. The tumor diameter was greater than 2.0 cm in 48 cases and below 2.0 cm in 34 cases. According to the curative effect standard of TCM disorder, differentiation of symptoms and signs for classification of syndrome were performed, and the ultrasonic manifestations of different syndrome types were compared. RESULTS: In patients with maximum tumor diameter < or = 2 cm, Chong and Ren disorder type and liver Qi stagnation type were prevalent. In those with tumor diameter of <2 cm, Zeyi liver Qi stagnation type and virtual drug junction were more common. The mass peak intensity, slope of increase, enhancement intensity index and time-intensity curve of ultrasound differed significant between different syndrome types (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: The preoperative ultrasound features of breast cancer are associated with the syndrome types in TCM.
