Ultrasound (ultrasound) is a routine method for diagnosing breast diseases. In women under 35, this is the main and often the only method for visualizing the pathology of the mammary glands. Ultrasound is also an important additional diagnostic method for detecting any formations in the breast tissue during a clinical examination or mammography. How is ultrasound of the breast? - in the article.
Ultrasound of the breast
The mammary gland is a relatively low-contrast structure, therefore pathological changes in its tissue are not always noticeable. For more accurate diagnosis, high-frequency ultrasound scanning is necessary. The patient lies on the back during the procedure, while the thickness of the mammary tissue under the sensor decreases to an average of 3 cm. The doctor can carefully examine each gland in various projections.
The use of ultrasound in mammology has some disadvantages:
- impossibility to reliably determine the nature of the neoplasm;
- the difficulty of visualizing the space under the nipple;
- omission of small changes with insufficient sensor resolution;
- absence of contrast of surrounding tissues, which makes some changes invisible;
- The inability to use as a screening test because of the low sensitivity of the method.
The layers of tissue that form the mammary gland can be identified by high-frequency ultrasound scanning.
• Skin: a high contrast double line on the surface of the gland.
• Fat: displayed in the composition of fractions or subcutaneously, usually having a thickness of up to 3 cm and more dark compared to the skin and underlying glandular tissue.
• Cooper ligaments: defined as curved structures, through which the glandular tissue connects to the skin and thoracic fascia.
• Parenchyma (glandular tissue): a contrast glandular tissue within the adipose tissue of the breast, the condition of which depends on the level of sex hormones.
• Protocols: visualized in the form of long low-contrast lines with a thickness of about 2-3 mm.
Benign Changes
The breast tissue is susceptible to estrogens and reacts to their effects by increasing the density of glandular tissue and dilating the ducts. Cyclic benign changes of this kind are considered among the signs of premenstrual syndrome.
Simple cyst
Simple cysts (single or multiple) are hormone-dependent structures, the appearance of which is associated with blockage of the duct and the subsequent extension of the lobule of the gland. Small cysts change their size and shape during the menstrual cycle. Large cysts can cause discomfort, which requires their emptying.
Fibroadenoma
Fibroadenoma is the most common benign breast tumor in young women. Usually it has low or medium echogenicity (contrast), gives a light acoustic shadow behind itself and can be divided into several lobules.
Mammary cancer
The presence of microcalcifications may be the only sign of breast cancer even in the absence of visible formations. Mammography will detect the first signs of calcification, and ultrasound will help determine the benign or malignant nature of the tumor.
Doppler Scanning
Doppler scan provides visualization of blood vessels inside and around pathological formation. The method allows to determine whether they penetrate into the tumor or are located along the periphery, and also to avoid injury of the vessel during the biopsy. To determine the nature of education, it is necessary to take a material for analysis. Ultrasound is often used to determine the exact location of the formation during a biopsy. This method allows obtaining tissue samples of both surface and deep-lying structures. The latest developments in the field of ultrasound technology include high-frequency and Doppler scanning. Modern machines, specially created for mammologists, are equipped with small hand-held sensors with a frequency of 7.5 to 20 MHz. The use of high-frequency ultrasound can detect small pathological formations with great accuracy. Using a sensor with a frequency of 10-13 MHz, the doctor easily identifies even the smallest tumors. There was an opportunity to more accurately determine the boundaries of the formation, which also facilitates the diagnosis. These images obtained with low- and high-frequency ultrasound show a lymph node inside the breast.