Comparison of sonoelastographic values of breast tissue with mammographically and ultrasonically assessed density: a cross-sectional study

Aim To determine the relationship between breast stiffness assessed with sonoelastography (elasticity) and breast tissue density assessed with mammography (MG) and ultrasound (US). Methods This cross-sectional study involved 100 women who underwent MG, gray-scale US, and shear-wave sonoelastography during 2013. Mammographic density was categorized into four groups and sonographic density into three groups according to Breast Imaging-Reporting and Data System criteria. The stiffness of breast parenchymal and adipose tissue in all breast quadrants was quantified by shear-wave sonoelastography. Mean elastographic estimates were compared with MG- and US-derived density estimates. Results Parenchymal and adipose tissue elasticity positively correlated with MG- and US-derived breast density (for parenchyma: for MG Kendall's tau b 0.522; Jonckheere-Terpstra test P < 0.001 and for US Kendall's tau b 0.533; Jonckheere-Terpstra test P < 0.001); the higher was the breast density on MG and US, the higher was the elastographic stiffness. Conclusion Sonoelastographic breast stiffness strongly positively correlated with breast density. Thus, sonoelastography may have a potential for estimating the breast cancer risk, which allows a novel application of this technique in routine clinical practice.