Clinical amplitude/velocity reconstructive imaging (CARD) — a new sonographic method for detecting breast lesions

Abstract

X-ray mammography and breast ultrasound are methods for the detection of breast lesions, especially cancers. They work in a complementary manner, but only X-ray mammography can be used for screening purposes because the recent sonographic techniques are not as cost-effective, not as fast as mammography, observer-dependent and, in some instances, not reliable enough. A new ultrasound method is described which uses an X-ray-identical examination set-up and the following two properties of breast lesions: change of echo patterns behind the lesion and increased sound velocity, especially within malignant lesions. These features can be imaged on a reference structure, a reflecting plate positioned on the side of the breast which is opposite to the transducer. Results of pre-operative examinations of 80 patients with 39 benign and 52 malignant lesions are reported. Clinical, histopathological, and especially X-ray mammography findings are compared. Five cancers were not detectable by ultrasound but had clear suspicious signs on X-ray mammography. Nine cancers were not detected by X-ray mammography but were clearly visible with the new sonographic examination. By the combination of X-ray mammographic findings and their behaviour with the new sonographic method some lesions could correctly be identified as benign. The new sonographic method works in a complementary way to X-ray mammography. By further technical development it could be automated and probably performed as easily, as fast and as reproducibly as X-ray mammography. Using this method systematically in combination with X-ray mammography the detection rate of breast cancer could possibly be increased and unnecessary biopsies of benign lesions could be prevented.

Evaluating Thin Compression Paddles for Mammographically Compatible Ultrasound

“…Other systems developed for ultrasound imaging of a compressed breast through a mammographic paddle have experienced limited success (Schütze et al 1998;Richter 1997;Richter 1995;Richter 1994;Moskalik et al 1995;Kelly-Fry and Jackson 1991). Some of the difficulties that these systems faced included highly attenuating compression paddles, substantial reverberations, low frequencies, weakly focused beams and image artifacts created by refractions through the paddles.…”

Sonic Imaging

“…In [43] it is shown that (34) in fact permits the determination of the Fourier transform of f for frequencies down to 0. In [45] it is shown what can be achieved by a combination of reflectors with the Kaczmarz method in mammography [5,58] see Fig. 10.…”

3D ultrasound computer tomography for medical imaging

“…Building such a device for clinical practice never quite succeeded; mostly due to the huge data rate and time-consuming image reconstruction. Several scientists have been working on ultrasound tomography [4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14]. Norton and Linzer [4,5] tomography, based on circular and spherical arrays.…”