Automated Breast Ultrasound for Breast Lesion Detection - Literature Review
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.46328/ijonest.5890Keywords:
ABUS, Breast ultrasound, AI in radiology, Breast cancer, Cancer screeningAbstract
Early breast lesion detection is crucial for women. According to WHO, breast cancer caused 670 000 deaths globally in 2022. Mammography is one of the best screening tools for early breast cancer detection. Still, with a dose between 3 and 5 mGy to the glandular tissue for a typical mammographic screening examination involving two views of each breast, alternatives might be used if not necessary. Breast ultrasound is an option, especially in young patients and those with dense breasts. This paper aims to present the little-known automated breast ultrasound (ABUS) as a viable alternative to the conventional handheld ultrasound. A literature review was conducted using the keywords “automated breast ultrasound," "ABUS," "ABVUS," and "sonotomography" in the online databases Google Scholar, PubMed, and Web of Science. The review yielded a total of n=267 studies, of which n=83 were considered pertinent. The review was also based on the clinical experience using an ABUS machine at St. Marina University Hospital—Varna (UMHAT “St. Marina Varna”). ABUS is not widely used in most radiology clinics, even dedicated breast clinics. Automated ultrasound is a machine controlled by an X-ray technician or an ultrasonographer, which records a series of breast ultrasound images. The main advantage of the modality is the elimination of operator dependence (with some caveats, which are expanded upon in the “discussion section”), as well as the reduction of subjectivity. If previous studies are available, precise follow-up of the size and localization of breast lesions is possible. However, а suitable additional screening method, АBUS, demonstrates some disadvantages as a diagnostic tool. Some of the limitations are the absence of information for vascularization and the elasticity of a lesion. Possible artefacts include, but are not limited to, retro-areolar shadowing, breathing artefacts, and air interposition between the probe and the skin. ABUS is applicable for screening and follow-up modality, especially in settings with a large patient base or an absence of trained personnel.
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