Quantitative Nonlinear Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound of the Breast.

Abstract

Breast cancer is the most frequent type of cancer among women (25% of all cancers). The angiogenic process that fuels the growth of tumors is a potential early indicator for differentiating between malignant and benign tumors. Recently, the use of microbubble-based contrast agents combined with ultrasound has allowed the development of contrast agent-specific imaging modes that provide visualization of tumor neovascularity. Contrast-enhanced Doppler, harmonic, and subharmonic imaging are some of the imaging modes that have been investigated for visualizing and quantifying the vascularity in breast tumors.