Purpose: This study evaluated the role of the correct diagnostic pathway through conventional imaging in evaluating breast disease.
Materials and methods: Six hundred patients aged between 35 and 75 years were enrolled in the study. All patients underwent detailed history and clinical examination, ultrasound (US) and mammography. US scans were repeated after mammography. All suspicious lesions were studied by cytological and histological characterisation and magnetic resonance (MR) imaging.
Results: The first US scan showed 147 solid lesions, 67 lesions characterised by posterior acoustic shadowing and 193 areas of heterogeneous echostructure. The second US scan, performed after mammography, confirmed 123/147 solid nodular lesions, 53/67 lesions characterised by posterior acoustic shadowing and 183/193 areas of heterogeneous echostructure; it also showed 13 nodular lesions not seen on the first scan and two cases of nodular lesions with irregular calcifications.
Conclusions: Our experience suggests that US not performed in conjunction with mammography gives rise to incorrect diagnostic interpretations (either false positive or false negative results). The detection rate of the US scan performed after mammography increases from 4.16% to 5.5%.