Encapsulated papillary carcinoma of breast: Comparative study of multimodal ultrasound manifestations and pathological features

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Wu, Zehong^{a; b; 1} | Li, Huajuan^{a; 1} | Chen, Zihao^b | Zhou, Honglian^a | Liang, Xin^a | Huang, Xing^a | Wang, Jiexin^a | Chen, Ting^a | Xu, Xiaohong^{a; *} | Yang, Yuping^{a; *}

Affiliations: [a] Department of Ultrasonography, the Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, China | [b] The First Clinical Medical College of Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, China

Correspondence: [*] Corresponding authors: Yuping Yang, Department of Ultrasonography, the Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University, No. 57, Renmin Avenue South, Xiashan District, Zhanjiang, 524001, China. E-mail: [email protected] and Xiaohong Xu, Department of Ultrasonography, The Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University, No. 57, Renmin Avenue South, Xiashan District, Zhanjiang, 524001, China. E-mail: [email protected].

Note: [1] These authors contributed equally to this work.

Abstract: OBJECTIVE:To investigate the conventional ultrasound (US), contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) manifestations and the corresponding histopathological characteristics of patients diagnosed with breast encapsulated papillary carcinoma (EPC) and to explore the value of CEUS in diagnosis of EPC. METHODS:The clinical, pathological, US, and CEUS features of 16 patients (17 lesions) with EPC confirmed by postoperative histopathology were retrospectively analyzed. RESULTS:EPC was prevalent in the postmenopausal women. The majority of conventional US images of EPC showed complex cystic and solid masses with circumscribed margins (70.6%), enhanced posterior echo (94.1%), no sonographic calcification (88.2%), rich blood flow in the solid components within lesions (70.6%) on Color Doppler flow imaging, and high resistance index of blood flow (94.1%). Moreover, CEUS showed mainly centripetal hyperenhancement of the solid components within the lesions with irregular outline, and the enhancement area of the whole masses was essentially the same as the B-mode US area. CONCLUSIONS:EPC typically presents as a complex cystic and solid mass. CEUS is helpful to clarify the extent of the solid component and facilitate preoperative core-needle biopsy. A comprehensive evaluation by CEUS is valuable for diagnosing EPC and combining it with clinical features are helpful to further improve the diagnosis of this rare kind of breast cancer.

Keywords: Breast tumor, encapsulated papillary carcinoma of the breast, ultrasound features, contrast-enhanced ultrasound, pathology

DOI: 10.3233/CH-242263

Journal: Clinical Hemorheology and Microcirculation, vol. 88, no. 4, pp. 537-549, 2024