European Journal of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences

COMPARATIVE EFFECTIVENESS OF COMBINED DIGITAL MAMMOGRAPHY AND ULTRASONOGRAPHY FOR WOMEN WITH DENSE BREAST OF CATEGORY B AND C’. A CROSS SECTIONAL STUDY

Arifa Mobeen, Maheen Zafar, Samia Shahid, Tehreem Zafar, Malaika Tahir, Aimen Dilshad, Allah Nawaz, Taseen Bin Mansoor, Muhammad Ramzan and Sania Maqbool*

ABSTRACT

Background and Introduction: Breast cancer is common among Asian countries affecting 1 in 9 women with the ratio of occurrence increasing every year. Utilization of best imaging modality based on breast density and characterization of lesions in women with various breast. To compare the effectiveness of combined mammography and ultrasonography for women with dense breast Category B & C. Methods: This was an observational comparative study done by using two modalities, Mammography and Ultrasonography, on 151 women with breast symptoms of age group 30-70 years and falling in Category B and C dense breasts. Results: Out of 151 females, 57 presented with category B breast, out of which 23 patients were under the age group of 51-60 years. Whereas, 94 patients presented with category C breast, out of which 33 patients fell under the age group of 41-50 years. Characteristics of lesions such as shape (85.4%), lymph node enlargement (88.7%) and skin thickening (88.7%) were detected more accurately on ultrasound as compared to mammography. Whereas, calcification (25.1%) was detected better on mammography as compared to ultrasound. In category B patients, Mammography detected 37.3% lesions while detection improved to 54% by adding Ultrasonography (which alone detected 70.7% lesions). In category C patients, Mammography detected 28.3% lesions while detection improved to 48% by adding Ultrasonography (which alone detected 67.5% lesions). Mammography detected nipple retraction (90.1%) in 136 out of 151 while ultrasound detected ductal dilatation (72.8%) in 110 out of 151 patients. Practical implication: The purpose of this study was to confirm the comparative effectiveness of Digital Mammography and Ultrasonography for women with dense breast, Category B & C, because in women with dense breast, it is sometimes difficult to detect the lesion and its characteristics whether it is cystic or solid on Mammography alone. So, we combine it with Ultrasonography for better detection. Conclusion: According to the study, Mammography alone was not able to give better results in case of dense breasts. Combining Ultrasonography to it improved detection of most of characteristics of lesions. Therefore, we cannot rely on a single modality and need to combine both modalities for improved detection.

Keywords: Digital Mammography, Ultrasonography, Breast, cross sectional study. Word count of Abstract: 354 Word count of manuscript: 2469