{Reference Type}: Journal Article
{Title}: 2D shear wave elastography in evaluation of prognostic factors in breast cancer.
{Author}: Ventura C;Baldassarre S;Cerimele F;Pepi L;Marconi E;Ercolani P;Floridi C;Argalia G;Goteri G;Giovagnoni A;
{Journal}: Radiol Med
{Volume}: 0
{Issue}: 0
{Year}: Sep 2022 19
{Factor}: 6.313
{DOI}: 10.1007/s11547-022-01559-5
{Abstract}: <B>OBJECTIVE: </B>To evaluate the reproducibility of the 2D shear wave elastography (2D-SWE) method and to identify the prognostic factors of breast lesions.<BR><B>METHODS: </B>In this prospective study, 44 female patients were consecutively included from January 2020 to September 2021. All patients showing visible masses at B-mode ultrasound underwent to clinical evaluation, followed by qualitative and quantitative 2D-SWE by two different operators with over 15-year and 2-year experience, respectively. Subsequently, patients underwent to surgical treatment after core needle biopsy. Reproducibility of qualitative and quantitative 2D-SWE was evaluated by Cohen's kappa and intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). Clinical, imaging, and histopathological data and 2D-SWE evaluations were analysed with Spearman's rank correlation test.<BR><B>RESULTS: </B>The mean age of the patients was 55 years ± 12. The mean histological and ultrasound tumour size of were 23.1 mm ± 13.2 and 17.2 mm ± 10.2, respectively. The interobserver agreement showed a good reproducibility limited to the qualitative evaluation colour maps (Cohen's kappa = 0.603) and to the quantitative evaluation E ratio (ICC = 0.771). Correlation analysis between the ultrasound and 2D-SWE values and the clinical-pathological parameters showed a significant relationship between E ratio and Elston-Ellis grading (P < 0.030) and between tumour size and Elston-Ellis grading (P < 0.041).<BR><B>CONCLUSIONS: </B>The 2D-SWE has shown good reproducibility among operators with different experience. It could be a promising tool in the evaluation of some prognostic factors in ultrasound visible breast cancer.