Breast Shear Wave Elastography
Price : £295
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Breast Shear Wave Elastography
Breast Shear Wave Elastography (SWE) is a sophisticated ultrasound technique that enhances breast cancer detection and characterization by measuring the stiffness of breast tissue. Unlike traditional ultrasound methods that primarily focus on visualizing the appearance of lesions, elastography breast ultrasound service quantitatively assesses the mechanical properties of tissue, offering a more detailed analysis that can aid in distinguishing benign from malignant tumors. This non-invasive approach is particularly valuable in evaluating palpable masses and abnormalities detected in sonograms and mammograms, especially in women with dense breast tissue where mammography’s effectiveness can be limited.
How Does Breast Shear Wave Elastography Work?
SWE utilizes acoustic radiation force to generate shear waves within the breast tissue. These waves propagate through the tissue, and their speed is measured by the ultrasound system. The speed of these waves correlates with tissue stiffness: stiffer tissue, which is often indicative of malignancy, allows shear waves to travel faster compared to softer, benign tissue. The ultrasound system then converts these speed measurements into a quantitative, color-coded elastogram that visually represents tissue stiffness, providing valuable information alongside conventional ultrasound images.
Advantages of Breast Shear Wave Elastography
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- – Improved Diagnostic Accuracy: By quantitatively measuring tissue stiffness, SWE can improve the differentiation between benign and malignant breast lesions, reducing unnecessary biopsies and anxiety for patients.
- – Quantitative Data: Unlike strain elastography, which provides qualitative assessments of tissue stiffness, SWE offers quantitative measurements that can be more consistently interpreted across different operators and institutions.
- – Enhanced Detection in Dense Breasts: SWE is particularly useful in women with dense breast tissue, where traditional mammography might not be as effective. It provides an additional layer of diagnostic information that can help identify cancers hidden within the dense tissue.
- – Non-Invasive and Painless: As an extension of conventional ultrasound, SWE is a non-invasive, painless procedure that does not require exposure to ionizing radiation, making it safe for repeated use.
Clinical Applications
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- – Characterization of Breast Lesions: breast ultrasound can help in assessing the nature of breast lesions detected by physical examination or imaging, aiding in the decision-making process regarding the need for biopsy or further imaging.
- – Monitoring Treatment Response: For patients undergoing neoadjuvant chemotherapy or other treatments for breast cancer, SWE can be used to monitor changes in the stiffness of tumors, providing an early indication of treatment response.
- – Supplement to Mammography and Sonography : SWE adds valuable information to mammography and and traditional sonography, especially in cases of ambiguous or inconclusive mammographic or sonographic findings, helping to clarify the diagnosis.
Learn more about Breast Shearwave Elastography
Breast Shear Wave Elastography is a state-of-the-art ultrasound technology that measures the stiffness of breast tissues. It uses sound waves to create and detect shear waves within the breast, providing quantitative data on tissue stiffness, which helps differentiate between benign and malignant lesions.
While traditional breast ultrasound focuses on the visual appearance of lesions, SWE provides additional quantitative data on tissue stiffness. This information is crucial because malignant tumors tend to be stiffer than benign ones, making SWE an invaluable tool in breast cancer detection and diagnosis.
No, Breast SWE is a painless procedure. It is performed as part of a standard ultrasound examination, with no additional discomfort beyond what might be experienced during a regular ultrasound.
Breast SWE is particularly beneficial for individuals with palpable breast masses, ambiguous mammographic/traditional sonographic findings, or dense breast tissue. It is also useful for monitoring known lesions over time or evaluating the effectiveness of treatment in breast cancer patients.
The procedure typically takes only a few minutes longer than a conventional breast ultrasound. The entire process, including preparation, usually lasts less than 20 minutes.
While Breast SWE can significantly enhance the accuracy of breast lesion characterization, it does not replace the need for a biopsy in all cases. Biopsy remains the definitive method for diagnosing breast cancer. However, SWE can help reduce unnecessary biopsies by better distinguishing between benign and malignant lesions or inversely can draw the attention of the clinician to the breast lesion when the tissue is stiffer while the traditional ultrasound features look benign.
Breast SWE has shown high accuracy in differentiating between benign and malignant breast lesions, especially when combined with conventional ultrasound findings. However, its accuracy can vary based on the operator's experience and the specific characteristics of the lesion being examined.
Breast SWE is a safe and non-invasive procedure with no known risks. It does not involve radiation exposure, making it safe for repeated use and for all patient populations, including pregnant women.
