Application of Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound Combined with Elastography in Qualitative Diagnosis and Quantitative Diagnosis of Benign and Malignant Breast Nodules

HU Xia; ZHOU Qinghua; MA Jie; DING Xiao; DAI Zhibing; QUAN Hailing

doi:10.3639/j.issn.2095-3097.2025.05.015

Abstract：Objective To analyze the application of contrast-enhanced ultrasound combined with elastography in the qualitative diagnosis and quantitative diagnosis of benign and malignant breast nodules.Methods The clinical data of 117 fe-male patients with breast nodules who were treated in Leshan Mental Health Center from February 2024 to February 2025 were retrospectively analyzed.With pathological results as the gold standard,there were 101 benign nodules(the benign group)and 23 malignant nodules(the malignant group)among 124 nodules.The diagnostic efficiencies of single examination and combined examination were analyzed,and quantitative analysis was performed on contrast-enhanced images.Results The sensitivities of conventional ultrasound,contrast-enhanced ultrasound,elastography,and the combination of the three in the differential di-agnosis of benign and malignant breast nodules were 69.56%,65.22%,69.57%and 65.22%,and the specificities were 92.08%,84.16%,85.15%and 97.45%,and the Kappa values of consistency analysis with pathological diagnosis results were 0.606,0.435,0.482 and 0.680 respectively.There were no statistical differences in the maximum echo intensity(IMAX),rise time(RT)and time to peak(TTP)between the benign group and the malignant group(P>0.05).The mean transit time(mTT)in the ma-lignant group was higher than that in the benign group while the area under the curve(AUC)of contrast-enhanced ultrasound time-intensity curve was lower than that in the benign group(P<0.05).There was a statistical significance in elastography score between the malignant group and the benign group(P<0.05).The areas under the ROC curves of mTT,AUC,elastography score and combined prediction of malignancy in patients with breast nodules were 0.762,0.882,0.696 and 0.915 respectively.Conclusion Contrast-enhanced ultrasound combined with elastography has strong accuracy in the differential diagnosis of benign and malignant breast nodules,and has high qualitative and quantitative diagnostic efficiency,and can provide a reliable basis for diagnosis and treatment decisions.