The use of bilateral whole breast ultrasound to identify multifocal disease in newly diagnosed breast cancer

The aim of this study was to evaluate the contribution of bilateral breast ultrasound in the management of women with newly diagnosed primary breast cancer.

One hundred and two women presenting with breast cancer over a 6-month period underwent bilateral breast ultrasound. Data were collected on pathology, size, invasive status, multi-focality and surgical outcome. These patients were compared with 104 patients presenting over a 6-month period, 1 year previously, who had undergone targeted breast ultrasound.

Thirty-five (34%) of the study patients had multifocal/ multicentric disease diagnosed compared with 18 (15%) of the control patients. The multiple cancers in the study group were more likely to be diagnosed by ultrasound, and were more likely to be multicentric than in the control population. Two contralateral cancers were identified by ultrasound alone in the study population. The diagnosis of multifocality changed the proposed management at surgical review in 8% (95% confidence interval: 4–14%).