Contrast-enhanced colour Doppler ultrasonography in suspected breast cancer recurrence

Background: Postoperative scarring and radiotherapy changes in the conserva tively treated breast often mimic breast cancer recurrence, resulting in ma ny unnecessary biopsies. Local breast cancer recurrence may be detected mor e accurately with contrast-enhanced colour Doppler imaging. Methods: Fifty-eight women with suspected local breast cancer recurrence we re evaluated prospectively by means of conventional and contrast-enhanced c olour Doppler imaging before surgical biopsy. Results: Sensitivity for the detection of breast cancer recurrence using co ntrast enhancement was 94 per cent (specificity 67 per cent). Contrast enha ncement significantly increased overall diagnostic accuracy, from 80 to 90 per cent (P < 0.04). Conclusion: Contrast-enhanced colour Doppler imaging is a highly accurate m ethod for detesting local breast cancer recurrence. Its adoption may substa ntially reduce biopsy rates.