The Clinical Utility of Automated Breast Volume Scanner: A Pilot Study of 139 Cases

PURPOSE: The aim of this study is to evaluate the clinical utility of automated breast volume scanner (ABVS) for detecting and diagnosing the breast lesions. METHODS: From December 2010 to January 2012, bilateral whole breast examinations were performed with ABVS for 139 women. Based on the Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) categories, the breast lesions were evaluated on coronal multiplanar reconstruction images using the ABVS workstation. Then, the imaging results were compared with those on conventional handheld ultrasound (HHUS) images. Histological diagnoses were performed on BI-RADS category 4 and 5 lesions. RESULTS: A total of 453 lesions were detected by ABVS. On the HHUS, 33 new lesions were detected but 69 lesions were not detected. BI-RADS category 2 and 3 matched to those on ABVS at 73.5% (61/83) and 85.4% (276/323). In 47 lesions of BI-RADS category 4 or 5, there was an exact match to those on ABVS. In addition, 47 lesions were classified as BI-RADS category 4 and 5, for which an ultrasound-guided core needle biopsy was performed. The malignant lesions of BI-RADS category 4 and 5 showed the following: 2/27 (7.4%) in 4A, 4/5 (80%) in 4B, 2/2 (100%) in 4C, and 13/13 (100%) in 5. The ABVS showed 21 true positives and a positive predictive value of 44.7% (21/47). CONCLUSION: There was considerable agreement in the assessment of the breast lesions by ABVS and HHUS. The ABVS had advantages of high diagnostic accuracy, examiner-independence, multislice visualization of the whole breast and less time-consuming. Our results indicate that ABVS might be a useful modality in diagnosing breast lesions.