EVALUATION OF THE ROLE OF COLOR DOPPLER ULTRASOUND IN THE DIAGNOSIS OF BREAST MASSES

Abstract

Despite the increasing incidence of breast cancer in recent years, early detection of breast cancer improves the curative rate and quality of life. Advances in diagnostic imaging has helped in early detection of breast lesions. Although mammography is the most popular examination method and yields excellent image description, diagnosis is influenced by imaging technique and ability to read the images. Also ultrasonogrphy can be excellent for qualitative diagnosis. Color Doppler is one of the more efficient modalities in detecting the flow signals of neovascularity in breast tumour which is the goal of this work, trying to reach the proper diagnosis and early detection of malignant lesions before its dissemination. This thesis included the mammographic, sonographic, Doppler studies and pathological diagnosis after surgical excision of the lesions in 25 patients.

All patients presented with palpable breast mass. Their age ranged between 14 to 60 years. Eighteen patients (72 % ) were proved pathologically to be malignant, most of them were found in third and fourth decades of life (60%). Seven patients were proved by histopathological examination to have a benign breast mass. All these lesions had benign sonographic