MAMMOGRAPHY AND ULTRASOUND - WHICH EXAMIN ATION SEQUENCE IS PREFERABLE

Purpose: To compare primary mammography diagnosis (ultrasound report a vailable) with primary ultrasound diagnosis (mammography report availa ble). Methods: 89 preoperative patients with suspicious lesions were i ncluded. Mammography and ultrasound of all patients were evaluated by two independent experienced readers under clinical conditions. The rep orts of the complementary modality were available to both observers. L esion evaluation was done on a per breast basis, in cases of multiple lesions in respect of the lesion with the greatest risk of malignancy. Results: 39 benign and 59 malignant lesions were found. Primary mammo graphy and primary ultrasound yielded 3 and 8 false positives and 10 a nd 13 false negatives. Concerning the palpable lesions (n=59), primary mammography and primary ultrasound had no and 4 false positives and 7 and 8 false negatives, respectively, for the non palpable lesions, th e figures were 3 and 4 false positives and 3 and 5 false negatives. Co nclusions: Mammography remains the method of first choice in early det ection of breast cancer, whereas breast ultrasound should be performed after and in knowledge of the mammogram, in consideration of the know n indications (equivocal palpable lesion and mammographic opacity, den se breast).