Diagnostic accuracy of clinical examination, mammogram, ultrasonogram to detect size of tumor and lymph node in carcinoma of breast

Background: In this study, we are aiming in determine diagnostic accuracy of clinical examination (CE), ultrasonography (USG) and mammography (MG) in pretreatment evaluation of breast cancer. Materials and methods: This present prospective clinical study was conducted during sept-2009 to May-2014 includes 540 patients of breast cancer. All these patients were underwent CE, USG and MG. After these entire test patient underwent Surgery. The exact tumor size, lymph nodes number and size were analyzed from the surgical specimen. Results: The diameter of the tumor determined with CE, MG, USG and final histopathological examination(HPE) were 6.58 +/- 2.24 cm, 5.20 +/- 1.68 cm, 4.63 +/- 2.03 and 4.7 +/- 1.88 cm respectively. The total number and size of the Lymph node were 2.187 +/- 1.22 and 1.87 +/- 1.22 cm by CE, 2.53 +/- 2.6 and 1.37 +/- 0.96 cm by USG, 2.1 +/- 3.6 and 1.67 +/- 0.796 cm by final HPE, respectively. The mean actual difference in tumor Size-Histopathological Vs CE Vs MG Vs USG was 1.208 +/- 0.629 cm. 0.559 +/- 0.084 cm, and 1.19 +/- 1.06 cms, respectively. The mean actual difference in lymph nodes Size-HPE Vs CE Vs. USG were 0.573 +/- 0.517 cm. 0.758 +/- 0.573 cm respectively. The correlation between HPE of tumor size with CE, MMG and USG were N=440, t=-5.2, r=0.886 (P<0.05) Vs t=2.06, r=0.902 (p<0.05) Vs t=-3.93, r=0.601(p<0.05), respectively. For the Lymph node by clinically and sonographically were N=440, t=4.19, r=0.687 (P<0.05) Vs t=6.7, r=0.648(p<0.05), respectively. Conclusion: MG is seems to be the better modality than CE and USG in detecting the tumor size and CE is better modality in detecting lymph nodes than USG.