Diagnostic and prognostic values of contrast-enhanced ultrasound in breast cancer: a retrospective study

Figures & data

Table 1 Clinical features of subjects in the case and control groups

Features	Case (n=143)	Control (n=161)	P-value
Age, mean ± SD, years	49.4±8.6	50.1±8.2
<50, n	69	83	0.646
≥50, n	74	78
Age at menarche, mean ± SD	13.6±2.0	13.8±1.7	0.347
Age at menopause, mean ± SD	49.9±2.9	50.3±2.1	0.166
Pregnancy
No, n (%)	10 (7.0)	13 (8.1)	0.829
Yes, n (%)	133 (93.0)	148 (91.9)
Menopausal status
Premenopausal, n (%)	52 (36.3)	68 (42.2)	0.347
Postmenopausal, n (%)	91 (63.7)	93 (57.8)
Body mass index, kg/m^2
<24, n	98	103	0.466
≥24, n	45	58
Family history of cancer
No, n	128	141	0.719
Yes, n	15	20

Abbreviation: SD, standard deviation.

Figure 1 Contrast-enhanced ultrasound images in the case (A) and control groups (B).

Table 2 Comparisons of contrast enhanced ultrasonography features between the case and control groups

Features	Case (n=143)	Control (n=161)	χ^2	P-value
Level of enhancement
High	105	29	94.35	<0.001
Equal or weak	38	132
Uniformity
Even	49	116	43.57	<0.001
Uneven	94	45
Radius expansion
Yes	103	38	71.41	<0.001
No	40	123
Edge shape
Blurry	107	44	68.34	<0.001
Clear	36	117
Direction of enhancement
Concentric	108	137	4.43	0.035
Eccentric	35	24

Table 3 Comparisons of time–intensity curves between the case and control groups

Parameters	Case (n=143)	Control (n=161)	Unpaired t-test	P-value
Peak intensity	7.29±2.18	3.65±1.10	18.68	<0.001
The area under the curve	295.76±56.97	285.27±73.58	1.38	0.169
Start time(s)	14.53±4.91	14.15±3.27	0.80	0.423
Peak time(s)	18.53±4.98	19.81±6.49	1.91	0.057
Rising slope	0.92±0.32	0.90±0.19	0.67	0.503
Falling slope	0.05±0.04	0.06±0.05	1.91	0.057
Relative peak intensity	2.97±0.87	0.96±0.24	28.14	<0.001
Relative area under the curve	101.32±31.07	43.36±11.23	22.10	0.010
Relative start time(s)	−3.33±0.30	−0.19±0.06	129.90	0.020
Relative peak time(s)	5.53±0.68	5.64±0.67	1.42	0.157
Relative rising slope	0.25±0.05	0.51±0.04	1.94	0.054
Relative falling slope	−0.02±0.01	−0.02±0.01	0.00	1.000

Table 4 Logistic regression analysis of contrast-enhanced ultrasound parameters on time–intensity curves

Variables	B*	SE*	Wald	df	Sig	OR
Uniformity of enhancement	2.235	0.844	7.007	1	0.008	9.346
Expansion of peak diameter	2.930	0.866	11.458	1	0.001	18.731
Relative peak intensity	2.414	0.527	20.974	1	0.000	11.178

Note:

* Partial regression coefficient.

Abbreviations: B, constant value; df, degrees of freedom; OR, odds ratio; SE, standard error; partial regression coefficient standard error; Sig, significant.

Figure 2 Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis of the diagnostic value of the uniformity of lesion enhancement in breast cancer.

Figure 3 Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis of the diagnostic value of the expansion of lesion diameter in breast cancer.

Figure 4 Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis of the diagnostic value of the relative peak intensity in breast cancer.

Table 5 Contrast-enhanced parameters and the prognostic factors in breast cancer

Parameters	ER (+/−)	c-erb-B2 (+/−)	p53 (+/−)	Ki-67 (+/−)	Maximum diameter (≤2 cm/>2 cm)	Histology grade
						(I/II–III)
Enhancement mode
Uneven	52/42	67/27	51/43	56/38	52/42	44/50
Even	35/14	15/34*	28/21	22/27	32/17	34/15*
Perfusion defects
Yes	40/45	56/29	47/38	57/28	40/45	39/46
No	47/11*	26/32*	32/26	21/37*	44/14*	39/19*
Enhancement form
Regular	52/34	47/39	45/41	49/37	50/36	47/39
Irregular	35/22	35/22	34/23	29/28	34/23	31/26
Enhancement edge
Clear	21/15	17/19	15/21	15/21	19/17	20/16
Unclear	66/41	65/42	64/43	63/44	65/42	58/49
Enhancement mode
Concentric	59/49	60/48	60/48	56/52	59/49	54/54
Eccentric	28/7*	22/13	19/16	22/13	25/10	24/11
Perforator vessels
No	27/14	27/14	27/14	27/14	27/14	35/6
Yes	60/42	55/47	52/50	51/51	57/45	43/59*

Note:

* The distribution was significantly different (P<0.05).

Abbreviation: ER, estrogen receptor.