Breast

Question 1

Define the wolfe classification.

Answer 1

Wolfe N1 pattern refers to a breast containing a high proportion of fat

• Wolfe DY pattern refers to extremely dense breast tissue

• Wolfe P1 pattern refers to a predominantly fatty breast with< 25% visible glandular tissue

• Wolfe P2 pattern refers to a breast with > 25% visible glandular tissue.

Question 2

What are the typical ultrasound features of malignant mass breast?

Answer 2

Carcinomas are seen as ill-defined masses and are markedly hypoechoic compared to the surrounding fat ( Fig. 52.16A ).

• Carcinomas tend to be taller than they are wide (the anterior to posterior dimension is greater than the transverse diameter).

• There may be an ill-defined echogenic halo around the lesion, particularly around the lateral margins, and distortion of the adjacent breast tissue may be apparent, analogous to spiculation on the mammogram.

• Posterior acoustic shadowing is frequently observed, due to a reduction in the through transmission of the ultrasound beam via dense tumour tissue.