Ultrasound appearance of breast fibroadenoma

A woman's breast is a very soft place. It is not only a symbol of femininity, but also an important part of the body for women to raise the next generation, because when a woman is pregnant and giving birth, her breasts will secrete milk for the baby to drink. However, older women are more likely to develop breast fibroadenoma, a benign tumor disease on the breast. So how does breast fibroadenoma appear on ultrasound?

Breast fibroadenoma is a common benign breast disease caused by the proliferation of both epithelial and fibrous tissues. Some people believe that this may be related to the effect of endocrine on local breast tissue, so patients often suffer from breast proliferative diseases. According to statistics: the age of onset is most common between 20 and 40 years old. Some people also believe that this disease is more likely to occur during the period of rapid female development when estrogen secretion is hyperactive. The main clinical manifestations are nodules with clear boundaries and good mobility, occasionally accompanied by pain. Most of them are single lesions, and about 20% are unilateral or bilateral multiple lesions. Clinical examination, ultrasound and core needle biopsy are the gold standard for diagnosing breast fibroadenomas. The breast is located on the surface of the body. Typical breast fibroadenomas are relatively easy to diagnose, but atypical fibroadenomas require vigilance and should not be diagnosed lightly. Differential diagnosis should be made with the help of imaging examinations, and confirmation should be based on pathological histological examinations when necessary.

Preparation before the examination

Generally, no special preparation is required and the examination can be carried out at any time.

Clinical significance

A nodule was accidentally found in the breast. It has a capsule, a smooth surface, a hard texture, but can slide, and is round or oval in shape. Single disease is common, but multiple diseases may also occur. Ultrasound showed that the tumor was round or oval in shape, low-echoic, homogeneous, capsule-encapsulated, and movable. The color Doppler peak is 15-30 cm/s, and the resistance index is 0.5-0.6. Based on the above characteristics, the diagnosis is generally correct. Atypical fibroadenomas should be differentiated from breast cancer. If there are difficulties, a needle biopsy is still necessary.

Inspection method

The patient lies in supine position or lateral position when necessary, with arms raised to fully expose the breast. Direct examination is performed with longitudinal, transverse, and oblique scans of each quadrant of the breast. If a lump is found, its size is measured, and its shape, location, boundary, presence of capsule, internal and posterior echoes are observed. The probe is used to apply pressure or the patient is asked to change position, and attention is paid to any changes in the shape of the lump. Color Doppler is used to observe whether there are blood flow signals inside and around the lump.

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