Chapter 2 Breast Ultrasound Past , Present , and Future

This chapter will review the utilization of breast ultrasound for screening and diagnostic purposes. Currently, ultrasound is primarily used to investigate palpable lesions in women less than 30 years old, to provide further characterization of abnormal mammographic findings, and to guide invasive breast interventions. Innovations in ultrasound technology have improved the detection and diagnosis of breast cancer. Computer-aided detection (CAD), elastography, quantitative breast ultrasound technology, and ultrasound contrast agents (microbubbles) were developed to improve diagnostic accuracy. These advancements have the potential to impact overall survival by detecting cancers that are smaller and less aggressive.